IPL 2023: KKR vs RCB Season Opener Promises Thrills Amid Rain Threat

IPL 2023 Kicks Off with KKR vs RCB Showdown

The 18th season of the Indian Premier League is set to commence this Saturday, featuring a clash between the reigning champions, Kolkata Knight Riders, and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who have historically struggled to secure a title, all while rain looms in the forecast.

This opening match at Eden Gardens rekindles a classic rivalry. It has been seventeen years since Brendon McCullum's explosive 158 in the first IPL match, which laid the groundwork for the league's enduring legacy. Since that memorable day, KKR has clinched three championships, while RCB continues to chase their first.

This year, KKR aims to break the trend of underperformance following a championship win, with Ajinkya Rahane at the helm.

Attention will be on Varun Chakravarthy, the mastermind behind India's Champions Trophy win, as he faces off against Virat Kohli, who has been diligently honing his skills against spin bowling. Chakravarthy remains grounded, acknowledging that past successes do not guarantee future victories. “Confidence is very subjective. Every new tournament, even if you win the last tournament, you have to start from scratch,” he remarked.

“You have to start from zero. As they say, if you score a hundred in the previous match, you have to start from zero. Similarly, yes I did well in the last tournament but still, IPL is a different ball game and it’s a different beast. I very well know what’s coming my way and I have to be on my toes.”

When discussing how he maintains his unpredictability despite advancements in technology and video analysis, Chakravarthy shared his strategic mindset. “The ball can deviate only in three ways — it can go left, right or straight. It just depends on how I’m going to choose the sequencing. That’s where the tactical side of the game comes in, and that’s where I’m trying to improve.”

On the other hand, Sunil Narine, still a formidable player at 36, aims to support Chakravarthy while also stepping up to fill the gap left by Phil Salt's transfer to RCB.

For RCB, the combination of Salt and Kohli at the top, along with finishers like Jitesh Sharma and Liam Livingstone, presents a powerful lineup. However, their bowling attack, now lacking Mohammed Siraj (who has joined Gujarat Titans), will rely on seasoned players Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood to navigate the spin-friendly conditions at Eden.

Rajat Patidar may have been an unexpected choice to lead the star-studded RCB, but head coach Andy Flower expressed confidence in the team's support for their captain. “A lot of these guys have captained state sides, IPL teams and international teams. So, we’re very pleased with that, regardless of who was actually captaining our team this year,” Flower stated. “I think having influential people in your squad, guys that have performed at the top level gives him a level of confidence. You get that confidence from the evidence of you succeeding at the top level in the past. There are a lot of our guys that have done that in, obviously, performance terms, but also leadership terms,” he added.

The tournament will kick off with a dazzling opening ceremony featuring performances by Shreya Ghoshal, Karan Aujla, and Disha Patani. However, the excitement may be tempered by forecasts of thunderstorms and rain on match day.