Eden Gardens will gear up for Match 53 of the IPL 2025 season on Sunday. KKR, who are in search of a much needed win, come up against a RR side who are already eliminated. RR will play for pride and spoil KKR’s party, who haven’t been successful at their home soil this season. 7th-placed KKR can complete the double over RR this season. So, apart from a top-four push, KKR will be keen to enjoy a double win over their rivals.
KKR enjoyed a strong performance in their last clash against Delhi. Rahane will want another balanced show from his side to down the Royals. Meanwhile, RR were tamed by Mumbai Indians in Jaipur and need a quick fix to come out on top. RR will be without Sanju Samson in addition to missing Sandeep Sharma, who has been ruled out of the tournament. For KKR, they need to address their 4th foreign pick. One between Mooen Ali for his all-round abilities and a pacer in Anrich Nortje could be tossed up.
In terms of player spotlights, KKR’s Venkatesh Iyer has done little after a costly sum was paid for him at the auction. For RR, their retained player, Dhruv Jurel, has failed to showcase his strengths. His struggles against spin have been obvious.
KKR enter the tie as favorites, but the Royals can upset them and jolt their campaign. In terms of the H2H record, KKR own 15 wins to RR’s 14 with 2 games ending in a no result.
Ahead of a crunch IPL 2025 contest between KKR and RR, we decide on 5 key player battles that will govern this contest.
Sunil Narine vs Jofra Archer
KKR will hope for exploits from Sunil Narine at the top of the innings. Narine can be destructive inside the power player with his effective hitting. In IPL 2025, Narine hasn’t enjoyed the success with the bat he had last season, though, scoring 178 runs from 9 matches. However, his strike rate is a sound 174-plus. Narine will be tested by RR fast bowler Jofra Archer, who is effective inside the power play. In IPL 2025, Archer owns 10 wickets from 11 matches at 40.10. He has conceded close to 10 runs an over. As per ESPNcricinfo, across 2 IPL innings, Narine is yet to score a run off Archer, facing three balls. Archer will be keen to get Narine for the 1st time in the cash-rich league.
Riyan Parag vs Sunil Narine
Narine, the bowler, will hope to keep RR skipper Riyan Parag under wraps. KKR ace Narine has done a decent job this season with 10 scalps at 25.40 from 9 matches. On the other hand, Parag, who is a versatile player, owns 282 runs at 31.33 from 11 matches. Across 4 innings in the IPL, Parag has scored 13 runs off Narine’s bowling. Parag averages 13 with his strike rate being 100. Narine has bowled 6 dot balls in this contest. Parag has managed just one four (0 sixes). Versus RR, Narine has picked 14 wickets from 20 matches at 37-plus.
Shimron Hetmyer vs Varun Chakravarthy
RR’s Shimron Hetmyer has been a shadow of himself this season. Despite being retained over the likes of several outgoing stars, Hetmyer has failed to repay the trust RR showed in him before the auction. Hetmyer, who has been with the Royals for quite some time now, could come up against KKR ace Varun Chakravarthy. Across 4 IPL innings, Varun has dismissed Hetmyer twice. Hetmyer averages 3.50 with 7 runs from 10 balls. 5 of them have been dot balls. In 11 matches (10 innings), the southpaw owns 187 runs this season at 20.77. Varun has been KKR’s most productive bowler with 13 scalps at 21.46.
Yashasvi Jaiswal vs Vaibhav Arora
You have two performers who have done an able job for their teams this season. RR’s Yashasvi Jaiswal is their top scorer with 439 runs from 11 matches. He will be up against KKR pacer Vaibhav Arora, who is his side’s 2nd-highest wicket-taker with 12 wickets. Across 2 IPL innings, Arora has got the dangerous Jaiswal out on 1 occasion. Jaiswal has scored 19 runs from 11 balls with his SR reading 172.72. Arora has bowled 5 dot balls to Jaiswal in this contest.
Ajinkya Rahane vs Maheesh Theekshana
RR spinner Maheesh Theekshana could prove to be impressive versus KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane. Sri Lanka’s Maheesh can operate in the power play, and this is a phase where Rahane can find himself coming to bat, given KKR’s vulnerability upfront. Across 1 IPL inning, Rahane has faced five balls, scoring 9 runs. He has struck at 180 with the help of a six. Maheesh has bowled two dot balls. Both players represented Chennai Super Kings before this edition and will know each other well.