Two giants looking to shake off early setbacks will clash as Rajasthan Royals (RR) host Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Assam Cricket Association Stadium in Guwahati on Wednesday. Both teams find themselves in an identical predicament after suffering disappointing defeats in their IPL 2025 campaign openers.
The Knights were handed a comprehensive seven-wicket defeat by Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Eden Gardens, while the Royals stumbled against Sunrisers Hyderabad, losing by a substantial 44-run margin. Although it’s premature to hit the panic button this early in the tournament, both franchises will be eager to register their first points on the board.
“It’s always good to win the first game, but there are some lessons to be learnt from there,” reflected KKR bowling coach Bharat Arun during Tuesday’s press conference. “We could have capitalised on the start; we could have got more runs, but we lost wickets towards the end of the innings. Whatever you do, there is always an opportunity to bowl better.”
An interesting subplot to this encounter is the battle for ‘home advantage’ at Barsapara Stadium. While Rajasthan Royals use this venue as their second home ground alongside their primary base at Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur, KKR’s coaching staff believes the geographical and cultural proximity to Kolkata might work in their favor.
“Guwahati is a short distance from Kolkata, many people speak the same language here, so it’s a second home for us,” Arun claimed with a mischievous smile, attempting to claim psychological territory.
However, RR’s stand-in captain Riyan Parag, who will lead the side for the first three matches, was quick to counter that assertion. “I’m not sure how many Bengalis are there in KKR, but being an Assamese I hope I’ll get more support over here,” the 23-year-old local hero stated confidently. Notably, KKR’s current squad doesn’t feature any Bengali players, potentially giving Parag’s claim more weight.
For the Royals to bounce back, their bowling attack needs significant improvement after conceding heavily to SRH’s explosive batting lineup, particularly to centurion Ishan Kishan and aggressive opener Travis Head. Their bowling combinations appeared ineffective against quality stroke-makers, an area coach Kumar Sangakkara will be focusing on.
KKR, meanwhile, will be hoping that power-hitter Rinku Singh rediscovers his destructive form after a quiet start. They’ll also be banking on mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy to deliver crucial breakthroughs on a Guwahati surface that has historically offered something for both batsmen and bowlers.
The pitch at the Assam Cricket Association Stadium has typically produced balanced contests in previous IPL encounters, with an average first innings score hovering around 170. The weather forecast suggests perfect conditions for cricket, with clear skies expected throughout the evening.
With both teams desperate to open their account in IPL 2025, fans can expect a fiercely contested battle between two franchises looking to establish themselves as serious contenders this season.