IPL 2025: Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad Set for High-Stakes Battle at Eden Gardens, Know KKR vs SRH Head-to-Head, Key Players, Live Streaming, and Stats

Pitch Controversy: KKR Dictates Terms?

Unlike previous seasons, the pitch at Eden Gardens has become a hot topic of debate. Traditionally known for its batting-friendly conditions, this time, the surface has been altered to suit the home side. Reports suggest that KKR had a say in selecting the pitch for their home games.

Two surfaces were prepared: a dry pitch and an even drier pitch, with KKR choosing the latter, aiming to extract maximum help for their spinners. This move comes despite IPL rules prohibiting franchises from dictating pitch conditions. However, KKR isn’t the only team voicing concerns about playing conditions—Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have also expressed their preference for customized pitches at their home grounds.

KKR mentor Dwayne Bravo played down the controversy, urging his team to “assess and adapt” to the conditions. However, his comments could also be seen as a warning to SRH, who rely heavily on flat tracks to power their batting lineup.

What to Expect: A Low-Scoring Thriller?

Gone are the days of 200-plus scores at Eden Gardens, at least for now. With the pitch expected to favor spinners, KKR will look to turn the game into a battle of attrition rather than a run-fest.

This presents a unique challenge for Sunrisers Hyderabad, who have thrived on high-scoring matches. While SRH might not have the most fearsome spin attack, their batters are well-equipped to counter spin. Players like Travis Head and Heinrich Klaasen have excelled against slow bowlers, meaning KKR’s strategy could backfire if their spinners don’t deliver.

Another key statistic to note—SRH have the best powerplay scoring rate this season at 11.88 runs per over, but they have also lost the most wickets (7) in this phase. A strong start could be key for them, but they must be wary of losing early wickets.

Head-to-Head Record: KKR Hold the Edge

KKR have historically dominated this fixture, leading the head-to-head battle 19-9. Their recent record against SRH is even more impressive—since 2020, they have won 9 out of 11 games against the Orange Army. This psychological advantage will play a role, but in T20 cricket, past records often mean little on match day.

Team Watch: Kolkata Knight Riders

Injuries & Unavailability

KKR’s pace spearhead Anrich Nortje is close to full fitness but is unlikely to play this game.

Tactics & Matchups

Moeen Ali could replace Spencer Johnson as an extra spin option, adding depth to both bowling and batting.
Sunil Narine vs Pat Cummins: The Aussie pacer has dismissed Narine twice in just seven balls in IPL history. SRH might use him early to neutralize Narine’s impact.

KKR Probable XII

Sunil Narine
Quinton de Kock (wk)
Ajinkya Rahane
Angkrish Raghuvanshi
Venkatesh Iyer
Rinku Singh
Andre Russell
Ramandeep Singh
Moeen Ali
Harshit Rana
Varun Chakravarthy
Vaibhav Arora

Team Watch: Sunrisers Hyderabad

Injuries & Unavailability

SRH have no injury concerns heading into this match.

Tactics & Matchups

Pat Cummins could be deployed early against Sunil Narine, given his past success against him.
Travis Head might bowl a few overs, considering KKR’s left-handed-heavy batting lineup.

SRH Probable XII

Abhishek Sharma
Travis Head
Ishan Kishan
Nitish Reddy
Heinrich Klaasen (wk)
Aniket Verma
Abhinav Manohar
Pat Cummins (c)
Harshal Patel
Mohammed Shami
Rahul Chahar / Zeeshan Ansari
Adam Zampa

Key Stats & Trivia

SRH’s biggest weakness has been their bowling. They had the worst bowling average (37.54) and second-worst economy rate (9.89) in IPL 2024. Their struggles have continued in 2025, with the worst economy rate in the tournament so far.
Sunil Narine has gone wicketless in 14 of his 25 IPL matches against SRH. KKR will need him to step up on a spin-friendly pitch.

A Must-Win Game for Both Sides

With both teams struggling for form, this game is crucial. KKR will rely on their spin-heavy approach to register their first win of the season, while SRH will look to counter it with their aggressive batting.

While a high-scoring thriller is unlikely, the battle between KKR’s spinners and SRH’s batting firepower could make for an intriguing contest. Will KKR finally break their losing streak, or will SRH continue their dominance over the Eden Gardens crowd?

Fans won’t have to wait long for answers, as the action unfolds on Thursday, April 3, 2025, at 7:30 PM IST.