The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will lock horns with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 on Thursday at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. This match marks a crucial point in the season for both sides, as they look to bounce back after a slow start.
KKR and SRH, last season’s finalists, have managed just one victory each from their first three matches this season. With both teams desperate to gain momentum, this encounter promises to be a thrilling contest.
KKR’s batting struggles
Defending champions KKR have not been at their best with the bat this season. Their campaign started with a batting collapse against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, where they lost wickets in quick succession despite a promising start. In their second outing, they successfully chased Rajasthan Royals’ total of 151/9, showcasing some resilience. However, their third match against Mumbai Indians was a forgettable affair, as they were bundled out for just 116.
KKR’s inconsistency with the bat remains a major concern. Their middle-order batters have struggled to deliver, making it imperative for key players like Quinton de Kock, Ajinkya Rahane, and Rinku Singh to step up. If they fail to stabilise the innings, KKR could find themselves in trouble once again.
SRH’s performance so far
SRH have had a more dynamic start to the season in terms of their batting. Their campaign began with a record-breaking 286/6, the highest-ever team total in IPL history, against Rajasthan Royals. However, since then, their performance has dipped, with scores of 190/9 and 163 in subsequent matches leading to consecutive defeats.
Travis Head and Heinrich Klaasen have been their standout performers, playing crucial knocks. Additionally, young Nitish Reddy has contributed valuable cameos. SRH’s batting appears more potent compared to KKR, giving them a potential edge in this contest. Led by Pat Cummins, the team will be looking to exploit KKR’s vulnerabilities with both bat and ball.
Head-to-head record and home advantage
KKR enjoy a favourable head-to-head record against SRH. The two teams have met 28 times in IPL history, with KKR winning 18 encounters compared to SRH’s nine. One match ended in a tie.
At Eden Gardens, KKR have been dominant, winning seven out of their ten encounters against SRH. Given their strong record at home, KKR will hope to use familiar conditions to their advantage.
Key player stats
- Travis Head is SRH’s leading run-scorer this season, having amassed 136 runs in three matches at an average of 45.33 and a strike rate of 191.54.
- Ajinkya Rahane, KKR’s skipper, has scored 85 runs at 28.33 in IPL 2025 so far. He also has a history of performing well against SRH, having scored 478 runs against them in his IPL career.
- Varun Chakravarthy, KKR’s spinner, has taken three wickets this season at an economy rate of 6.54.
- Sunil Narine, despite being a key bowler for KKR, has struggled against SRH, managing only 14 wickets at a high average of 44.85.
Pitch report: What to expect at Eden Gardens
Eden Gardens is known for its batting-friendly pitches, and Thursday’s encounter is expected to be no different. The surface has favoured high-scoring matches, with batters enjoying the conditions. However, early in the innings, pacers could find some assistance with swing, while spinners are likely to play a role later in the match.
Given the nature of the pitch, the team winning the toss is expected to opt to bowl first, as chasing teams have had success at this venue.
Who do you think will win the KKR vs SRH match?
Kolkata Knight Riders
Sunrisers Hyderabad
Predicted playing XIs
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR):
- Quinton de Kock (wk)
- Venkatesh Iyer
- Ajinkya Rahane (c)
- Rinku Singh
- Angkrish Raghuvanshi
- Sunil Narine
- Andre Russell
- Ramandeep Singh
- Spencer Johnson
- Harshit Rana
- Varun Chakravarthy
Impact Player: Vaibhav Arora
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH):
- Travis Head
- Abhishek Sharma
- Ishan Kishan
- Nitish Kumar Reddy
- Heinrich Klaasen (wk)
- Aniket Verma
- Abhinav Manohar
- Pat Cummins (c)
- Zeeshan Ansari
- Harshal Patel
- Mohammed Shami
What to look for
Both teams have had a shaky start to IPL 2025, making this contest difficult to predict. However, SRH’s superior batting depth could give them an advantage over KKR, whose middle order has struggled. If SRH’s in-form batters, particularly Head and Klaasen, fire again, KKR might find it difficult to contain them.
On the other hand, KKR’s familiarity with Eden Gardens and their strong bowling attack, featuring Narine and Chakravarthy, could prove decisive. If their batters manage to find some form, they could tilt the match in their favour.
Given SRH’s recent batting prowess and KKR’s inconsistencies, SRH might have a slight edge in this encounter. However, KKR’s dominance at Eden Gardens and their historical record against SRH suggest they could turn things around. It promises to be a tightly contested match, with the team handling pressure better likely to emerge victorious.
(Photo credit: PTI)