KKR vs RCB Dream11 Prediction: 3 players you could pick as captain or vice-captain for today’s IPL match – March 22, 2025
Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) take on the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the IPL 2025 opener on Saturday, March 22, at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. KKR would want to start their title defense on a winning note, though the spectacle of IPL's first day might be dampened by rain.
Nevertheless, both teams would hope for an uninterrupted game. Despite losing title-winning captain Shreyas Iyer, KKR have assembled a strong team that has received plenty of praise from critics and fans alike, although the decision to name last-round buy Ajinkya Rahane as the captain was slightly divisive.
RCB, on the other hand, appear to have assembled a well-balanced squad with a solid bowling attack after a long time. While lesser on big names than they usually are, they certainly have the resources and the firepower to go the distance this season.
A cracker of an opening contest awaits as we welcome the 18th edition of the IPL. This match is sure to be immensely popular on Dream11, and on that note, let's look at the top three captaincy picks.
KKR vs RCB Dream11 Prediction: 3 players you could pick as captain or vice-captain for today’s IPL match
#3 Andre Russell (ALL) (KKR)
Andre Russell's destructive batting abilities and role as a strike bowler make him a perfect all-rounder on Dream11, albeit a slightly inconsistent one. Nevertheless, he's always in with a good shout as a captaincy pick, especially so under the new Dream11 point-scoring system that rewards boundary-hitters like Russell more than any other type of player.
Regardless of the length of the match, one can rest assured that Russell will get enough time to play an impactful knock, and even if it is a 10 or 12-ball stay at the crease, it could be enough for him to rack up a decent points haul.
He also loves playing against RCB and has great numbers against them - 423 runs at an average of 38.5 and a strike rate of nearly 200 with the bat, and 17 wickets in 16 innings with the ball. All these factors combine to make Dre Russ an exciting Dream11 armband pick.
#2 Virat Kohli (BAT) (RCB)
RCB's talisman Virat Kohli will no doubt be one of the most popular Dream11 captaincy choices for this match, and the highest run-scorer in IPL history could well justify that backing. Kohli has really upped his powerplay game in the recent seasons of the IPL, and he could get to a solid Dream11 haul by the end of the first six overs.
His IPL numbers have oscillated a bit in the last couple of seasons, but he comes into this season in pretty good form. His consistency and reliability make Kohli a bankable captaincy option, and his technical solidity and role in this team as an anchor make it likely he will get a big score.
He's an easy choice when it comes to Dream11 captaincy in most matches that RCB feature in.
#1 Sunil Narine (ALL) (KKR)
Who else but the Most Valuable Player of last season's IPL for the best Dream11 captaincy pick in this match? Narine should be the first name in your teams whenever KKR plays because of his insanely high points ceiling.
While it remains to be seen if his batting output will match the levels of last season, Narine could score plenty of Dream11 points even if he hits a few boundaries at the top of the order before getting dismissed. He's also bankable with the ball, and should bowl plenty of dot balls in his four-over spell, in addition to the wicket-taking threat he offers.
In a game where rain could play spoilsport, a player like Narine who opens the batting and is their No. 1 bowling option alongside Varun Chakravarthy is an excellent captaincy option. This is because regardless of the length of the game, Narine will remain an integral figure with the bat and the ball for KKR.