RR vs KKR, IPL 2025: Player battles that could decide the game

The IPL 2025 season is already heating up after all the teams have played their first matches. The upcoming match between Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) is expected to be a thrilling contest as both teams will want to register their first win this season. KKR and RR are stacked with star players, and the individual battles on the field could play a pivotal role in deciding the outcome. From explosive batting line-ups to captivating bowling showdowns, these key-player matchups will undoubtedly keep fans on the edge of their seats. Let's look at the T20 statistics of key players from both teams against each other.

RR Batters v KKR Bowlers in the T20s

Sanju Samson who is currently injured and playing as the impact player for RR is one of the important scorers of the team. In their first match of the season, he smashed 66 runs off 37 balls and will want to carry the momentum in the upcoming match. Shimron Hetmyer will also be an important player to watch out for with his ability to hit big shots. It would be interesting to watch Nitish Rana who previously played for KKR. On the other hand, Sunil Narine, Varun Chakaravarthy, Moeen Ali, Andre Russell, Mayank Markande, and Anrich Nortje will be the key players to watch for in the Knight Riders' bowling attack.

Sanju Samson Vs Sunil Narine:

Innings – 13, Runs – 66, Balls – 82, Outs – 3, Average – 22.0, Strike Rate – 80

Sanju Samson vs Varun Chakaravarthy:

Innings – 4, Runs – 54, Outs – 0, Strike Rate - 235

Shimron Hetmyer vs Sunil Narine:

Innings – 15, Runs – 71, Balls – 80, Outs – 1, Average – 71.0, Strike Rate – 89

Shimron Hetmyer vs Anrich Nortje:

Innings – 6, Runs – 40, Balls – 24, Outs – 0, Strike Rate – 167

Shimron Hetmyer vs Moeen Ali:

Innings – 7, Runs – 34, Balls – 32, Outs – 1, Average – 34.0, Strike Rate – 106

Shimron Hetmyer vs Varun Chakaravarthy:

Innings – 3, Runs – 6, outs – 2, Average – 3.0, Strike Rate- 86

Nitish Rana vs Mayank Markande:

Innings – 7, Runs – 41, Balls – 35, Outs – 1, Average – 41.0, Strike Rate – 117

Wanindu Hasaranga vs Andre Russell:

Innings – 6, Runs – 31, Balls – 25, Outs – 2, Average – 15.5, Strike Rate – 124

KKR Batters v RR Bowlers in the T20s

Quinton de Kock has been a consistent performer against Jofra Archer, scoring 100 runs in 9 innings at an impressive strike rate of 192. He’s also faced Wanindu Hasaranga and Sandeep Sharma in T20s and performed well with the bat. Sunil Narine has had a tough time against Maheesh Theekshana, scoring just 8 runs in 3 innings, and also struggled against Wanindu Hasaranga with only 7 runs in 2 innings. Andre Russell and Rinku Singh who have played winning knocks for KKR in previous seasons will be key players to watch for.

Quinton de Kock vs Jofra Archer:

Innings – 9, Runs – 100, Balls – 52, Outs – 3, Average – 33.3, Strike Rate – 192

Quinton de Kock vs Wanindu Hasaranga:

Innings – 5, Runs – 52, Balls – 42, Outs – 2, Average – 26.0, Strike Rate – 124

Quinton De Kock vs Sandeep Sharma:

Innings – 6, Runs – 43, outs – 2, Average – 21.5, Strike Rate - 123

Sunil Narine vs Maheesh Theekshana:

Innings – 3, Runs – 8, Balls – 7, Outs – 2, Average – 4.0, Strike Rate – 114

Sunil Narine vs Wanindu Hasaranga:

Innings – 2, Runs – 7, outs – 2, Average – 3.5, Strike Rate - 140

Andre Russell vs Fazalhaq Farooqi:

Innings – 6, Runs – 47, Balls – 26, Outs – 1, Average – 47.0, Strike Rate – 181

Moeen Ali vs Jofra Archer:

Innings – 4, Runs – 32, Balls – 17, Outs – 1, Average – 32.0, Strike Rate – 188

Rinku Singh vs Tushar Deshpande:

Innings – 4, Runs – 34, outs – 1, Average – 34.0, Strike Rate – 213

Rahmanullah Gurbaz vs Maheesh Theekshana:

Innings – 8, Runs – 75, Balls – 44, Outs – 4, Average – 18.8, Strike Rate – 171