Virat Kohli & RCB leave for Kolkata to play IPL 2025 opener against KKR

The IPL 2025 opener will be played at the Eden Gardens on March 22.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have left for Kolkata. The Rajat Patidar-led side are expected to reach by night and will then start training for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 opener against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Eden Gardens.

Kohli leaves for Kolkata

In a video that has emerged online, Virat Kohli can be seen at the Kempegowda International Airport along with whole RCB squad and support staff. The 1500-kilometre distance between the two states will be covered in around two and a half hours, and RCB should reach Kolkata soon.

KKR are the reigning IPL champions and will have a lot of pressure on them. They will be without their winning captain and mentor, Shreyas Iyer and Gautam Gambhir. It’ll be fascinating to see how they respond to their absence.

All the eyes will be on Ajinkya Rahane, who has been named their captain over Venkatesh Iyer and has failed in the two practice matches KKR have played.

As for RCB, most would be focused on how Rajat Patidar does. He like Rahane, will replace another captain. While the expectations won’t be that high for Patidar, RCB fans will give him their all.

RCB squad for IPL 2025

Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar (c), Yash Dayal, Liam Livingstone ✈️, Phil Salt ✈️, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Josh Hazlewood ✈️, Rasikh Dar, Suyash Sharma, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Swapnil Singh, Tim David ✈️, Romario Shepherd ✈️, Nuwan Thushara ✈️, Manoj Bhandage, Jacob Bethell ✈️, Devdutt Padikkal, Swastik Chhikara, Lungi Ngidi ✈️, Abhinandan Singh, Mohit Rathee