Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), among the most accomplished teams in IPL history, is preparing to protect their title for the 2025 season. The franchise that won its third IPL title in 2024 under the guidance of Shreyas Iyer will begin a new chapter with Ajinkya Rahane at the helm now that Iyer was not retained. The veteran batter is already part of the team, getting ready to face the opening match on March 22 at their legendary home stadium, Eden Gardens.
In an effort to signify the start of their title defence, the support staff and team attended a ceremonial event at Eden Gardens in hopes of getting divine blessings for the season. As part of the ceremony, a coconut was smashed on the pitch, and a garland was put around the wickets—rituals that were thought to usher in good luck.
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The event was captured on video with main performers including Andre Russell, Venkatesh Iyer, and head coach Chandrakant Pandit, which was posted on KKR’s social media. The caption “Shubho Aarombo” or “Auspicious Beginning” in Bengali mirrored the team’s enthusiasm and togetherness prior to the new season.
Shubho Aarombo 🙏🌸 pic.twitter.com/2ve1awWZLq
— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) March 12, 2025
KKR’s entire team has now gathered in Kolkata, and the preparations are in full motion. Their initial official training camp at Eden Gardens on March 12 witnessed elite players such as Manish Pandey, Quinton de Kock, Rinku Singh, Moeen Ali, and Anrich Nortje in action. The team is not leaving a stone unturned in their attempts to hold onto the title.
In regard to their fixtures, KKR will begin their journey against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on 22 March. They then host away games against Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati and Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede before playing at home against Sunrisers Hyderabad—a repeat of the 2024 IPL final.
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Their remaining home matches are against Lucknow Super Giants (April 6), Gujarat Titans (April 21), Punjab Kings (April 26), Rajasthan Royals (May 4), and Chennai Super Kings (May 7). The league stage is wrapped up with away matches against SRH and RCB. With a powerful team and a resolute attitude, KKR will be looking to win two consecutive IPL titles, solidifying their place as one of the league’s powerhouses.
