3 things RCB need to do right to beat KKR in IPL 2025 match in Bengaluru ft. Mayank Agarwal

IPL 2025 resumes on May 17, 2025, after a short hiatus. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) play host to a struggling Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) team in Bengaluru.

RCB are comfortably in second place in the points table, whereas KKR are in sixth place. While a win will guarantee a spot in the playoffs for RCB, the defending champions will need a miracle and support from the other teams to progress to the next round.

RCB have won five of their last six matches in IPL 2025 and have won four on the trot. RCB beat KKR by seven wickets in the tournament opener in Kolkata on March 22, 2025.

On that note, here is a look at three things RCB need to do right to beat KKR:

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#1 Get the right team combination

RCB suffered a huge blow as Devdutt Padikkal has been ruled out of IPL 2025 due to an injury. The southpaw was a consistent performer at number three and scored 247 runs in IPL 2025 across 10 innings at an impressive strike rate of 150.61.

Mayank Agarwal has played for RCB in the past from 2011 to 2013 Source: Getty

Agarwal is an experienced campaigner, having played 14 IPL seasons. He was a part of the RCB franchise from 2011 to 2013. Mayank Agarwal has been a consistent scorer in domestic cricket and also has an impressive record in the IPL. In 121 IPL innings with the bat, he has scored 2661 runs at a strike rate of 133.05.

Agarwal will, in all likelihood, replace Padikkal in the playing XI against KKR. He will look to grab the opportunity with both hands and make a case for his inclusion in the RCB squad for the next season.

Josh Hazlewood, who missed out RCB's last game against Chennai Super Kings (CSK), will in all likelihood replace Lungi Ngidi in the playing XI.

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#2 Negate the spin threat

Varun Chakaravarthy has picked up 17 wickets so far in IPL 2025- Source: Getty

KKR rely a lot on their spinners. The duo of Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy have been instrumental in KKR's limited success this season. While the former has picked up 10 wickets in IPL 2025 at a miserly economy rate of 7.53, the latter has scalped 17 wickets at an economy rate of only 7.

RCB could be a bit cautious against the spinners mentioned herein above and target the pacers.

The pace duo of Vaibhav Arora and Harshit Rana have economy rates of 10.15 and 9.95, respectively, and have leaked runs. RCB batters would look to target Arora and Rana to score quick runs. Moeen Ali, the third spinner, has not been much of a threat in IPL 2025.

Thus, RCB batters could look to negate the threat of Narine and Chakaravarthy and maximize their scoring opportunities in the remaining 12 overs.

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#3 Restrict the KKR top-order

The KKR top order has been instrumental in getting the team off to a flying start. Sunil Narine has scored 215 runs in IPL 2025 at an astounding strike rate of 167.96.

Quinton de Kock scored 143 runs in seven innings and was thereafter replaced by Rahmanullah Gurbaz who has scored 74 runs in five innings.

Ajinkya Rahane is the top run-getter for KKR in IPL 2025 having scored 375 runs. Angkrish Raghuvanshi is the second-highest run-getter for KKR this season (286).

The middle-order has failed to get going. The likes of Rinku Singh, Venkatesh Iyer, Ramandeep Singh, and Moeen Ali have failed to perform consistently in IPL 2025. Apart from one match-winning innings against Rajasthan Royals, Andre Russell has been a pale shadow of himself.

RCB pacers in Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal and Bhuvneshwar Kumar will look to dismiss the KKR top-order cheaply and get the out-of-form middle-order on the crease at the earliest.