KKR vs RCB: 5 Reasons Why Kolkata Knight Riders Are Struggling After 7-Wicket Defeat

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KKR vs RCB: Saturday evening at Eden Gardens turned into a nightmare for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) cruised to a 7-wicket victory in their IPL 2025 opener.

Despite posting 174/8, KKR’s performance was riddled with flaws. Here are five reasons why KKR is losing steam right from the start of the season.

1. Krunal Pandya’s All-Round Dominance

RCB’s Krunal Pandya was the biggest thorn in KKR’s side. He not only picked up crucial wickets but strangled the scoring rate with his clever variations. His figures of 4-0-29-3 broke KKR’s backbone, removing key players like Venkatesh Iyer and Rinku Singh at vital junctures. Rahane admitted in the post-match presentation, “Krunal’s spell changed the game. We couldn’t rotate strike and lost momentum.”

2. Ajinkya Rahane’s Poor Captaincy Calls

Rahane’s leadership came under scrutiny. Promoting himself to No.3 ahead of form players and failing to rotate bowlers at critical points hurt KKR. His decision to persist with expensive bowlers like Spencer Johnson (2.2-31-0) during RCB’s chase backfired badly. Captain Ajinkya Rahane's bowling changes raised eyebrows. Varun Chakaravarthy, who took the key wicket of Philip Salt and conceded only 43 runs in four overs, wasn't given the freedom to attack. Instead, part-timers and expensive bowlers like Arora and Johnson were overused. Kohli and Livingstone took advantage of erratic lines and pace.

3. Middle-Order Collapse Once Again

Despite a steady start from Narine (44 off 26) and Rahane (56 off 31), KKR’s middle order crumbled. Venkatesh Iyer (6 off 7), Rinku Singh (12 off 10), and Russell (4 off 3) all failed to capitalise on the platform. The team went from 107/2 to 150/6 in a matter of overs. As commentator Simon Doull pointed out, “The middle order looked clueless against Krunal and Yash Dayal.”

KKR's finishers couldn't deliver. Russell, known for his explosive style, was dismissed for just 4 off 3 balls by Suyash Sharma. Ramandeep Singh's run-a-ball six runs in the death overs hurt KKR's final push. The team scored only 29 runs in the last four overs, leaving at least 15-20 runs short of a defendable target.

4. Bowlers Failing to Contain Runs

Defending 174, KKR’s bowlers looked toothless. Vaibhav Arora’s expensive spell (3-0-42-1) and Spencer Johnson leaking 31 runs in just 2.2 overs allowed Salt and Kohli to make merry. Even the experienced Sunil Narine (4-0-27-1) couldn’t apply brakes as Kohli dispatched deliveries to the boundary at will. Former India pacer Irfan Pathan tweeted, “KKR bowlers lacked planning. No variation, no discipline.”

5. Kohli and Salt’s Fearless Dominance

Virat Kohli (59 off 36) and Philip Salt (56 off 31) batted with authority, never allowing KKR bowlers to settle. Salt smashed nine fours and two sixes, racing RCB to 95/1 inside nine overs. Kohli’s experience then sealed the chase with poise.