Kolkata Gears Up for IPL 2025 Season Opener
Kolkata is alive with excitement as it prepares for the start of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. The opening match will feature the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) taking on the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the historic Eden Gardens.
On Thursday, the atmosphere was electric as Virat Kohli and the RCB squad took to the field for practice at Eden Gardens. All eyes were on Kohli, who made a striking entrance, being the first to get off the team bus and head to the practice area. He dedicated time to fine-tuning his skills with four different bats, showcasing his talent by hitting four impressive sixes during his session against bowlers Liam Livingstone and Josh Hazelwood. Although he is not the official captain of the team, Kohli engaged with his teammates, showing his natural leadership.
Kohli’s practice involved a structured routine: he began with throwdowns, moved to three different nets, and capped his session with some powerful strikes outside of the nets. After a slow start, he quickly found his groove and displayed his characteristic elegance at the crease.
Meanwhile, KKR focused their training on strengthening their bowling lineup in preparation for the highly anticipated match. Harshit Rana concentrated on precision bowling in the nets, while Andre Russell practiced smashing sixes, emphasizing the team’s all-round strength.
The KKR batting order is expected to see Quinton de Kock and Sunil Narine as opening batsmen, with team captain Ajinkya Rahane batting at number three. They will be followed by a solid middle order, featuring Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Russell, and Ramandeep Singh.
Eden Gardens curator Sujan Mukherjee has indicated that the pitch should favor batsmen, with expectations for scores to surpass 200 runs. As the excitement continues to build, cricket fans in Kolkata are eagerly looking forward to the start of the IPL 2025 season.
