KKR back to home discomforts with playoffs chances on the line
They have won just one out of four completed matches at home this season, and take on RR, who are already knocked out
Sreshth Shah
03-May-2025 • 13 hrs ago
Big picture: Time running out for KKR
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) aren't out of the playoffs race yet, but the margin for error has all but vanished. They can still reach 17 points, but that requires a perfect run in their final four games. Two of these games are at Eden Gardens, where they've managed just one win in four completed matches this season. Saturday afternoon's match marks their penultimate home game.
To stay in the hunt for a top-four finish, KKR need to break new ground this season by stringing together back-to-back wins for the first time. Their last game, against Delhi Capitals (DC), wasn't perfect, but a few performances offered some hope that there's still fight left in them. Rinku Singh and Andre Russell found their spark, Sunil Narine dismissed three high-quality batters, and the openers finally laid a solid foundation. For KKR, replicating all of that - and getting more out of Venkatesh Iyer - is essential for their playoff hopes. A loss wouldn't eliminate them outright, but it would leave them hanging by a thread.
Up against them are Rajasthan Royals (RR), already eliminated, but a side that's hurting. The Vaibhav Suryavanshi - Yashasvi Jaiswal show against Gujarat Titans was scintillating, but what followed was a tame submission against Mumbai Indians, when they went down by 100 runs.
Lifting themselves up to produce a performance with Sanju Samson still injured and Sandeep Sharma out of the tournament will be difficult, but a hurting side with nothing to lose can be a dangerous unit. And as their bowling coach Shane Bond suggested on the eve of the game, there'll be some players waiting to make full use of any opportunities afforded to them in their last few fixtures, with the management having one eye on IPL 2026 and beyond.
Form guide
Kolkata Knight Riders: WLLWL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Rajasthan Royals: LWLLL
Rajasthan Royals: LWLLL
The big question
KKR have three overseas players locked in: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Narine and Russell. But how do their best use their fourth? It appears Spencer Johnson and Anrich Nortje are not in the mix right now. Rovman Powell, the current preference, has been carded at No. 8 for their last two games, and a batter at that position averages fewer than six balls per game.
In the spotlight: Venkatesh Iyer and Dhruv Jurel
Venkatesh Iyer is being plagued by inconsistency. In seven innings this season, a struggling top order has offered him ample opportunity. But he has been out in single digits four times, and has crossed 40 only once. Compared to last season, Venkatesh's average has dropped from 46.3 to 20.3, while his strike rate has fallen from 159 to 139. Only Rishabh Pant and and Abdul Samad have poorer averages this season (minimum 100 runs). With the batters above and below Venkatesh beginning to stitch together scores, it's time for KKR's vice-captain to do the same with qualification for playoffs still a possibility.
RR have shown a lot of faith in Dhruv Jurel, but his role this season has been a bit muddled. He has always been inventive and attacking against pace, but at both No. 4 or No. 5, his game against spin has been tested. Jurel strikes at only 110 against spinners this season, and it's 179 against pace while boasting an average of 81.5. Is it time for RR to utilise him differently?
Team news and probable XIIs
With only two right-handers in the RR top five, and KKR trusting Russell more with the ball, Anukul Roy, who picked up 1 for 27 against DC, might make way for Ramandeep Singh to get more batting power. Ajinkya Rahane had his right hand bandaged after being injured against DC, but Powell suggested he should be available.
Kolkata Knight Riders: 1 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 2 Sunil Narine, 3 Ajinkya Rahane (capt), 4 Angkrish Raghuvanshi, 5 Venkatesh Iyer, 6 Rinku Singh, 7 Andre Russell, 8 Rovman Powell/Moeen Ali, 9 Ramandeep Singh/Anukul Roy, 10 Harshit Rana, 11 Varun Chakravarthy, 12 Vaibhav Arora
Akash Madhwal got his first opportunity with Sandeep's injury in RR's last game, and should keep his place. Left-arm spinner Kumar Kartikeya remains a tempting option against KKR's line-up. Wanindu Hasaranga could be back for his googlies against Russell.
Rajasthan Royals: 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 Vaibhav Suryavanshi, 3 Nitish Rana, 4 Riyan Parag (capt), 5 Dhruv Jurel (wk), 6 Shimron Hetmyer, 7 Shubham Dubey, 8 Jofra Archer, 9 Maheesh Theekshana/Wanindu Hasaranga, 10 Fazalhaq Farooqi/Kwena Maphaka, 11 Akash Madhwal, 12 Yudhvir Singh/Kumar Kartikeya
Pitch and conditions
A look at the surface showed rough marks outside both off and leg stump, and it could be a drier pitch that assists spin just a bit more. The last few days have been hot, with a short stormy period to cool the city down every evening. Chances of the game being affected by rain remain high.
Stats and trivia
- RR's spinners have the second-lowest average (36.7) and economy (9.4) this season. Only SRH are worse.
- While Angkrish Raghuvanshi has a dazzling strike rate of 170 in his first ten balls in IPL 2025, it dips to 106 by the time he moves on to play his 21st ball and beyond.
- Jaiswal has struck four fifties in his last six outings. He has also hit the most sixes (18) in the powerplay this season. It has helped RR maintain the highest powerplay run rate (10.8) this time.
- The middle-order struggles for KKR and RR are evident in their dot-ball percentage between overs 7 and 16: KKR (37.2%) are the worst, while RR (32.9%) are right behind them.
Quotes
"Whatever happened before in the first half of the competition is history. We all know that in the IPL, it is important for teams to find their momentum at the back end of the competition. If we can do that, we give ourselves the best chance of being back-to-back champions."
Rovman Powell suggests KKR's dreams of defending their title is still very much alive
Rovman Powell suggests KKR's dreams of defending their title is still very much alive
"Regardless of whether you're in the competition or not, you've got the RR badge on your chest, and you've got players with the attitude of wanting to turn up, compete, win, and that shouldn't matter if you're in the competition or not. So that energy and intensity is expected from the players regardless of the points table, and we didn't do that very well the other night [against Mumbai Indians]. It will be a hot day in Kolkata, and it will be challenging, but that's what's expected, and I want to see that from the boys."
RR bowling coach Shane Bond on playing for pride
RR bowling coach Shane Bond on playing for pride
Sreshth Shah is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo. @sreshthx