Bengaluru, May 17 – Virat Kohli doesn’t like noise — at least not during practice. On the eve of Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) high-stakes encounter against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Kohli walked into an almost empty M Chinnaswamy Stadium. But even then, the RCB anthem blaring through the stadium speakers was too much for the former India captain. A few crisp drives, a pull shot, and a stern request later, the music was shut off. Silence, punctuated only by the crack of bat on ball, took over.
This, however, will be a far cry from what awaits Kohli and his team on Saturday evening. The stadium will be packed, the energy electric, and emotions running high. After an eight-day IPL break, RCB will return to a cauldron of support from a fan base that has remained fiercely loyal — even without a single title to show over 16 seasons.
And this match will carry a deeper emotional weight.
A White Tribute for a Red Legend
Just days ago, Virat Kohli casually hinted at walking away from Test cricket with a cryptic Instagram post. Now, RCB fans are planning a fitting tribute — arriving dressed in white to honor his illustrious red-ball career.
Amid chants for Kohli, RCB fans will also be hoping their team continues its strong run this season. Sitting second on the table with a realistic shot at the playoffs, RCB’s journey has defied their history of heartbreaks. They’ve won just two of five home games this season, but each time, their fans have turned the stadium into a fortress of faith.
A third home win tonight could all but seal a playoff berth.
KKR: From Defending Champions to Desperate Chasers
While RCB ride the emotional high, KKR come into this game battered by inconsistency. The defending champions have struggled to find rhythm, failing to win back-to-back games all season until late April. The spark that carried them to their third title last May has dimmed — now they’re fighting for survival, hanging by a thread that could snap even with a perfect finish.
Their head-to-head record offers some comfort: KKR have beaten RCB in 20 of their 35 meetings, including 8 of 12 at this very venue. Since 2023, they’ve won four of their last five encounters against the men in red and gold.
Weather Watch and Match Forecast
A scattered thunderstorm looms over Bengaluru’s Saturday evening, threatening to interrupt the action. But unless the rains are relentless, Chinnaswamy’s world-class drainage system should ensure at least a truncated contest takes place. On Friday, similar forecasts failed to materialize, bringing hope that nature will cooperate.
RCB Team Update: All Eyes on Patidar and Salt
Rajat Patidar, who suffered a hand injury in the previous home fixture against CSK, has been batting regularly and looks fit. Phil Salt, too, returned from illness and put in solid batting sessions. However, Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood remains unavailable, continuing his recovery back home.
Tactically, expect Bhuvneshwar Kumar to be used wisely — possibly against Ajinkya Rahane, who has been a PowerPlay dynamo this season. Bhuvi has dismissed Rahane seven times in the IPL, giving away just 104 runs in 117 balls.
RCB Probable XI: Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Jacob Bethell/Mayank Agarwal, Rajat Patidar (c), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rasikh Salam/Lungi Ngidi, Yash Dayal, Suyash Sharma
KKR Team Update: Middle-Order Jigsaw and Spin Threats
KKR will miss Moeen Ali and Rovman Powell, who haven’t rejoined the squad post the break. Anukul Roy is expected to fill the left-arm spin void, particularly against RCB’s right-heavy top order. Meanwhile, the Pandey vs. Venkatesh Iyer debate continues for the middle-order slot.
Kohli’s renewed aggression against spin adds an intriguing twist. While his scoring rate has surged this season, he still has a modest record against KKR’s spin duo. He’s managed 136 runs off Narine at a strike rate of just 105.42, falling to him four times. Against Varun Chakravarthy, it’s 55 off 48 with one dismissal.
Patidar, in contrast, has regressed against spin, scoring just 33 off 35 balls in the last five games.
KKR Probable XI: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Manish Pandey/Venkatesh Iyer, Andre Russell, Rinku Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Anukul Roy, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana
Key Stats to Watch
- KKR’s Bowling Excellence: They lead the charts in IPL 2025 with the best economy rate (7.41), highest dot ball percentage (35.9%), and lowest boundary percentage (13.11%).
- Varun CV in the Middle Overs: His 10 wickets in the middle phase match Kuldeep Yadav for the second-best tally this season.
- RCB’s Death Overs Dominance: The most destructive team in the last five overs, RCB boast a scoring rate of 11.97 — the highest in IPL 2025.
KKR vs RCB Live Streaming & Broadcast Info
KKR vs RCB Live Telecast: Star Sports Network (Select channels with Hindi, English, regional language options)
KKR vs RCB Live Streaming: JioCinema (free in India across all languages and devices)
