The big picture: Kohli frenzy at the Chinnaswamy
The contest that launched IPL 2025 now returns to take center stage after an unexpected ten-day pause, caused by border tensions between India and Pakistan. With the simmering tension having eased, and a ceasefire in place, the stillness of the past week has slowly given way to a surge in anticipation as the IPL enters the business end.
Even as several overseas players returned home, logistics personnel across the board have worked tirelessly, navigating the chaos of sudden travel changes, disrupted itineraries, and comprehensive security protocols to make IPL's resumption possible.
In the thick of all this scramble, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have had to hit the ground running, having had to make do with just one full session and a half (owing to evening rain) to shake off a hint of rust and jet lag in equal measure.
Meanwhile, the M Chinnaswamy Stadium has been a hive of activity over the past 48 hours. Fuelling the frenzy is a homecoming layered with sentiment: the return of Virat Kohli, who is set to play his first match since announcing his retirement from Test cricket last week.
Mindful of the weather over the past three days, RCB trained in the afternoon, and KKR early evening. Some players, like Mayank Agarwal, a late replacement for the injured Devdutt Padikkal, were given extended runs, while others eased in more cautiously.
RCB haven't cracked the top-two since 2016, when they finished runners-up. Currently second with eight wins, they now find themselves possibly just two wins away from breaking that long-standing barrier. For KKR, the path is far more precarious. They need not just back-to-back wins that will get them to 15 points, but also a complex sequence of other results to fall in their favour to be able to spark an unlikely net run-rate shootout and sneak into the playoffs as the fourth-placed team.
Form Guide
Royal Challengers Bengaluru WWWWL (Last five results, most recent first)
Kolkata Knight Riders LWWNL
RCB's team director provided updates and spoke about replacements ahead of their clash against KKR
In the spotlight
Rajat Patidar's form had considerably dropped before the IPL took a pause. He had averaged just 10.6 in his last five innings after a strong start - he'd averaged 37.2 in his first five games. Patidar's struggles have been more exaggerated at home - where he averages just 14.4 while striking at 101. In contrast, both his half-centuries have come away, where he struck at 169. If the form slump wasn't a concern, he's also been hampered by a finger injury. Fortunately, though, the 10-day break has given him time to recuperate. RCB believe he's good to go, but a final call will be taken on match-eve.
In his last two innings alone, Andre Russell has managed more runs (95 at a strike rate of 207) than he did in the entire season prior to that (72 in seven innings at 131). There's been a marked approach - both in term of his ball-striking as well as the team management's desire to give him more batting time rather than focusing on specific entry points. On match-eve, Russell hit them clean and big, repeatedly hitting balls out of the ground.
A look at the ins and outs across the ten teams as the season resumes on Saturday
Team news and probable XII
RCB are without Josh Hazlewood, who is continuing to manage his shoulder niggle. RCB are in close touch with Cricket Australia but for now, they're adopting a wait-and-watch approach with regards to his availability for the playoffs. There's also a slight injury cloud over Patidar, but indications are he will play.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Likely XII): 1 Phil Salt, 2 Virat Kohli, 3 Mayank Agarwal, 4 Rajat Patidar (capt), 5 Jitesh Sharma (wk), 6 Romario Shepherd, 7 Tim David, 8 Krunal Pandya, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Yash Dayal, 11 Lungi Ngidi, 12 Suyash Sharma
KKR are without Moeen Ali and Rovman Powell. All other players are available.
Kolkata Knight Riders (Likely XII): 1 Sunil Narine, 2 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 3 Ajinkya Rahane (capt), 4 Venkatesh Iyer, 5 Angkrish Raghuvanshi/Manish Pandey, 6 Rinku Singh, 7 Andre Russell, 8 Ramandeep Singh, 9 Vaibhav Arora, 10 Harshit Rana, 11 Varun Chakravarthy, 12 Anrich Nortje/Spencer Johnson
The big question
Pitch and conditions
There have been intermittent thunderstorms in Bengaluru over the past week. Both teams couldn't get a glimpse of the surface on training days as they were largely covered all evening. The moisture underneath is bound to aid swing and allow bowlers to get some zip off the surface. There forecast for Saturday is for thunderstorms late afternoon and evening.
Stats and trivia
RCB last beat KKR at the Chinnaswamy in 2015.
Sunil Narine has a favourable match-up against Kohli in the IPL. Kohli has been dismissed four times in 17 innings, and strikes at just 105.
It's a battle of two superb death-bowling teams: RCB concede at just 10.20, which is joint-best with MI. KKR are just a nudge behind, conceding 10.30.
Kohli is one away from surpassing David Warner (62) for the most half-centuries in IPL history.
Krunal Pandya has had his best IPL season yet with 14 wickets, while RCB's spin attack has stood out with an impressive 8.5 economy rate.
KKR's opening partnership averages the lowest (19.3) among all teams this season.
Quotes
"Over the next few days, we'll think about potential replacements as well. There's a bit of clamour for that at the minute and lots of teams are doing that. I prefer not to push these things, so we'll just take our time and have a think about it." - RCB director Mo Bobat isn't fretting over the unavailability of Bethell and Ngidi for the playoffs
"Especially in a stadium like Chinnaswamy and where RCB fans are there, you obviously want to win against these guys." - Manish Pandey on playing an away game at "home"
