IPL 2025 | RCB vs KKR: 5 batters to watch out for

Brought to a halt by the recent India-Pakistan border tensions, the IPL will resume on Saturday with Royal Challengers Bengaluru taking on Kolkata Knight Riders in a high-stakes contest where the spotlight will firmly be on Virat Kohli following his recent Test retirement. The unexpected 10-day break has left both the RCB and the KKR with different goals to achieve and common challenges to hurdle over. Here we take a look at five batters to watch out for in tonight's encounter.

All eyes will be on Kohli tonight as he steps out in front of the Bengaluru crowd for the first time since announcing his retirement from Test cricket. Kohli is the fourth-highest run-scorer in IPL 2025 with an average of 63.31. If he gets going, KKR's playoff hopes will likely go up in smoke.

The RCB captain has been leading from the front this season, having scored two 50s so far. He will want to take RCB to the promised land of an IPL win this season.

The KKR skipper has been their best batter in the ongoing season, having scored 256 runs so far with an average of 37.50. He will have to try and will all of KKR's remaining games for the defending champions to have any hope of qualifying for the playoffs.

RCB's 2nd most prolific run-scorer of the season with an average of 27.44, Devdutt Padikkal is the local boy all Bengalureans will want to shine in the world's biggest domestic T20 tournament.

Another Indian youngster brimming with talent, Angkrish Raghuvanshi has averaged 35.75 as a batter in the ongoing season. He can prove to be a threat for the RCB bowlers in the death overs.