Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals
Eden Gardens
04.05.2025, 13:00
In the Indian Premier League cricket, Kolkata Knight Riders will play Rajasthan Royals at the Eden Gardens. This will be game 53 of the season. The two teams have been poor this season and will head into this game hoping to display quality. How will this game unfold? Below, I will preview this game and provide the best betting possibilities.
Claim Your Welcome Bonus!Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals: Match Start Date and Time
This match is expected to take place on the 4rd of May 2025. The kickoff time will be 5:00pm.
- Match: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals
- Date: Thursday, May 4th, 2025
- Kick-Off Time: 5:00pm (AEST)
- Stadium: Eden Gardens
Weather and Pitch Report
Rain is another possibility, and thunderstorms are predicted at toss time. The last game at the venue was washed out due to the onset of the ‘Nor’westers’ and it is expected during the start of the game. The pitch, which was used for the game against Punjab Kings, had been covered for the most part on the eve of the contest.
The temperature in Kolkata is expected to be around 30 degrees Celsius at the kickoff and will lower down to 27 degrees Celsius towards the end.
Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals: Match Analysis
Kolkata Knight Riders are still in the playoff race and now have to get the job done at all costs. While they have struggled so much in the beginning of the season, there is no chance of losing a game or making any error in the race to pull off 17 points, as it requires a perfect run of wins in the remaining four games. However, two of the matches will be at this venue where they have struggled, winning just one in four matches.
Last time out, this team played the Delhi Capitals, and they secured a win by 14 runs in a 190-204 contest. However, the hunt for the top four now demands them to win back-to-back matches, which they have not achieved this season.
On the other hand, it is all hopes lost for the Rajasthan Royals, who are now playing for pride heading into this game. While they have zero chance of making playoffs, this team is now hurting sides vying for a playoff spot. The Vaibhav Suryavanshi - Yashasvi Jaiswal show against Gujarat Titans was impressive, but then, they failed to step up against the Mumbai Indians in the following game, which ended by 100 runs in a 117-217 contest.
With their starman, Sanju Samson, still injured and Sandeep Sharma out of the game, it will be difficult, but a hurting side with nothing to lose can be a dangerous side to beat. And as their bowling coach Shane Bond suggested on the eve of the game, there'll be some players waiting to make full use of any opportunities afforded to them in their last few fixtures, with the team focusing on IPL 2026.
| Team | MP | Won | Lost |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Rajasthan Royals | 11 | 3 | 8 |
Kolkata Knight Riders Form
Venkatesh Iyer has been a good player but he has been unable to manage consistency. In seven innings this season, a struggling top order has offered him ample opportunity. But he has been out in single digits four times and has crossed 40 only once.
Ajinkya Rahane has been confirmed fit for this game and he is expected to be back for the Kolkata Knight Riders despite looking injured against the Delhi Capitals last week.
Kolkata Knight Riders Expected Lineup
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane (capt), Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Rovman Powell, Ramandeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy, Vaibhav Arora
Impact Player: Vaibhav Arora
| Teams | Position | Points |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | 7 | 9 |
| Rajasthan Royals | 8 | 6 |
Rajasthan Royals Form
Rajasthan Royals have been trusting Dhruv Jurel this season but his performances have been poor. He has always been inventive and attacking against pace, but at both No. 4 and No. 5, his game against spin has been tested. Jurel strikes at only 110 against spinners this season and 179 against pace while boasting an average of 81.5.
Akash Madhwal played for the first time this season last time out against the Mumbai Indians due to Sandeep's injury and is expected to remain in the lineup here. Left-arm spinner Kumar Kartikeya remains a tempting option against the Kolkata Riders line-up. Wanindu Hasaranga could be back for his googlies against Russell.
Rajasthan Royals Expected Lineup
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Nitish Rana, Riyan Parag (capt), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Shubham Dubey, Jofra Archer, Maheesh Theekshana, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Akash Madhwal, Yudhvir Singh
Impact Player: Fazalhaq Farooqi
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Who will win in Match - Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings
In their last five meetings, the Kolkata Knight Riders won two times, while Rajasthan Royals won three.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings Prediction
The two teams are struggling to get things right and should be at their best here. While this is more crucial for the Kolkata Knight Riders, their struggle at home will be what to deal with. On the other hand, Rajasthan Royals cannot be written off, especially with their performance against Gujarat Titans. I will back Kolkata Knight Riders to win this game as they look sharp while we can witness a lot of runs.
Prediction: Kolkata Knight Riders to Win
Other predictions
