March 22, 2025: The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season is set to kick off with a thrilling contest between the reigning champions, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on March 22. As both teams gear up for the much-anticipated season opener, all eyes will be on Kolkata’s lethal spin duo, Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine, who are poised to play a crucial role in the team’s bid for a strong start to their title defense.
In the pre-match press conference, mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy expressed his excitement for the upcoming battle, especially the opportunity to take on RCB’s batting stalwart Virat Kohli. Chakravarthy, who has been in exceptional form since his return to the national team, enters the match with confidence. “Definitely excited to be coming up against Virat. Obviously, he’s batted well against me, but I would like to do well against him also,” Varun said.
Acknowledging the strength of RCB, Chakravarthy emphasized that no team in the IPL should be taken lightly. “Anyone at this level, you cannot think of it as an easy opposition. Every team in the IPL is as good as the other one. RCB have a quality team, but we have done our homework. I have done my homework too,” he added.
Chakravarthy’s resurgence in the T20I format has been remarkable, as he has picked up 31 wickets since his return to international cricket. His stellar strike rate of 8.9 across his last 12 matches highlights his peak form, and with that, his heightened confidence. This impressive form, paired with the experience of Sunil Narine, makes KKR’s spin department a force to be reckoned with in the upcoming season.
The duo of Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine has been pivotal to KKR’s success in the previous IPL season, where their combined spin attack played a key role in the team’s title win. Narine, with his wealth of experience and success in the IPL, is regarded as one of the greatest spinners in the T20 format. Chakravarthy was full of praise for his veteran teammate, referring to Narine as a “legend of the game” and one of the all-time greats. “We had a few conversations this year, and he looks very well-prepared. He looks to take on the IPL just like how he did last year,” Chakravarthy said.
The opening match between KKR and RCB promises to be an exciting contest, with both teams fielding some of the best talent in the game. For Chakravarthy, the opportunity to test his skills against Kohli, one of the game’s finest, is a chance he’s eagerly anticipating. As the IPL 2025 season kicks off, the battle between KKR’s spin maestros and RCB’s powerful batting lineup is sure to be a highlight.