Bengaluru: The Indian Premier League (IPL) resumes this weekend after a brief pause due to heightened India-Pakistan tensions, and the action restarts with a high-stakes clash at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru will aim to seal their place in the playoffs when they host Kolkata Knight Riders on Saturday, while KKR are fighting to stay afloat in the tournament.
The break has brought good news for RCB, who welcomed back South African pacer Lungi Ngidi along with Mayank Agarwal, veteran seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and all-rounder Swapnil Singh. Their return strengthens a squad already in form and high on confidence, having won four of their last five matches.
RCB are currently second on the table with 16 points from 11 games and require just one more win to officially book their playoff berth. In contrast, KKR, placed sixth with 11 points from 12 matches, face an uphill battle: they must win both their remaining fixtures—ideally by significant margins—while depending on other results to go their way.
While Josh Hazlewood’s absence due to a shoulder niggle is a concern, the inclusion of Ngidi adds depth and international experience to the pace attack. The timing is notable, with South Africa having just named a 16-man squad for the upcoming ICC World Test Championship final against Australia at Lord’s. Several IPL players, including Ngidi, have been included in that squad, raising the stakes for their performances here.
Virat Kohli remains the talisman for RCB, with 505 runs at an average of 63.12 this season. His record against KKR—1,021 runs in 32 innings—makes him a pivotal figure once again. However, the IPL may soon be Kohli's sole focus.
The 36-year-old recently announced his retirement from Test cricket, marking the end of a storied red-ball career in which he led India to memorable victories at home and abroad. His decision adds a layer of poignancy to every innings he plays now, and RCB will be hoping he continues his stellar form.
The return of Phil Salt from illness is another boost, while Romario Shepherd’s blistering 53* off 14 balls against CSK underlines the lower-order threat.
Rajat Patidar (239 runs) and Tim David continue to chip in, and with Bhuvneshwar and Krunal Pandya lending experience to the bowling attack, Bengaluru look well-balanced. However, pressure will remain on younger bowlers like Yash Dayal and Rasikh Dar to hold their nerve in crunch moments.
KKR, meanwhile, come into the fixture on shaky ground. They have managed just two wins in their last five games, and their campaign has lacked cohesion. Andre Russell’s resurgence—95 runs in his last two innings—offers hope, while Ajinkya Rahane leads the side’s batting charts with 375 runs. Youngster Angkrish Raghuvanshi has been a bright spot, striking at 145.17.
KKR’s strength lies in their spin arsenal, and on a Chinnaswamy pitch that might offer some grip, Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy could play decisive roles. Narine’s all-round abilities add value across departments. With Venkatesh Iyer sidelined by injury, Manish Pandey is likely to retain his place after a composed 36* in the last outing. The franchise may also recall Quinton de Kock to provide stability at the top, especially with Moeen Ali having opted out of the remainder of the season.
The Chinnaswamy Stadium has historically favoured batsmen, with average first-innings scores hovering around 168. That said, the last two matches here have been won by sides batting first, suggesting that a par score could be closer to 200. Weather may yet play a role, with a 76% chance of rain forecast for Saturday.
RCB defeated KKR by seven wickets in their earlier meeting this season and go in as favourites again. But with KKR's season on the line, the defending champions are expected to come out swinging in what is effectively a knockout match for them.
