KKR vs SRH Playing 11, IPL 2025: Venkatesh Iyer to be Dropped, No Nitish Reddy? Team News, Predicted Lineups

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KKR vs SRH Playing 11: Kolkata Knight Riders are back on home turf in Kolkata as they host Sunrisers Hyderabad in a crucial IPL 2025 match on Thursday (April 3).

The Knight Riders stumbled to another defeat against Mumbai Indians and now placed at the bottom of the table with just 2 points in three matches. Sunrisers Hyderabad are also in a similar mud and have just won one of their first three matches, but a better NRR keeps them in the 8th place.

Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad Schedule

Date: April 3, 2025
Time: 7:30 PM IST
Venue: Eden Gardens, Kolkata
Captains: Ajinkya Rahane (KKR), Pat Cummins (SRH)

KKR vs SRH Team News, Injury Updates

Kolkata Knight Riders

KKR have had a sluggish start to their title defense, with just one win from their opening three matches. They will once again be without their South African pace ace Anrich Nortje, who continues to recover from a fitness issue. His absence leaves a significant void in the pace department and puts added pressure on the likes of Harshit Rana and Vaibhav Arora.

KKR's batting lineup has been inconsistent, with their middle order yet to fire collectively. They may once again look to experiment with Narine at the top to make the most of the powerplay. Ajinkya Rahane's calm presence at No. 3 will be key, while the likes of Rinku Singh and Andre Russell need to provide the finishing punch.

Will Venkatesh Iyer be dropped?

The Rs 23.75 crore buy for KKR has flopped and continued to do so. Although Venkatesh Iyer has disappointed so far, the southpaw is likely to keep his place because the Knight Riders lack any replacements.

Sunrisers Hyderabad

SRH, too, have registered just a single win in their first three outings. There was a slight injury scare with young batter Aniket Verma, who was hit on the toe by a yorker in training. However, he is expected to be fit and available for selection. SRH otherwise have a fully fit squad to choose from.

SRH will bank on their explosive opening duo of Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma to set the tone. In the middle order, Ishan Kishan and Klaasen offer aggression and stability. Captain Pat Cummins provides not only leadership but also power hitting and pace with the ball.

The bowling attack has a balanced look, with Shami's experience, Harshal's variations, and Cummins' all-round ability. Young spinner Zeeshan Ansari might be a key figure, especially if conditions favor turn.

Is Abhinav Manohar playing or will Sachin Baby come?

Abhinav Manohar has been very poor in the first three matches and Kerala captain Sachin Baby can come in for him. Nitish Kumar Reddy has failed to find his touch so far but the India all-rounder may keep his place.

KKR vs SRH Playing 11: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad Predicted Lineups

Kolkata Knight Riders: Quinton de Kock (wk), Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Moeen Ali, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy, Vaibhav Arora

KKR Impact Player: Anukul Roy/Mayank Markande

Sunrisers Hyderabad: Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen, Aniket Verma, Sachin Baby, Pat Cummins (c), Zeeshan Ansari, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Shami

SRH Impact Player: Adam Zampa