IPL 2025: Virat Kohli, Phil Salt light up Kolkata sky as clinical RCB overpower KKR in opener

There was no repeat of the 2008 nightmare for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

In the inaugural edition of the IPL, the Rahul Dravid-led side were hit by a hurricane called Brendon McCullum, who scored a blistering 158 off just 73 balls, to set the tone for T20 cricket for years to come. RCB went on to lose the match to KKR by 140 runs.

Seventeen years later, the two sides clashed again in an opening match of an IPL edition. But, this time, RCB made amends, and in style. Superb fifties by Virat Kohli (59*, 4 fours and 3 sixes) and new signing Phil Salt (56, 9 fours and 2 sixes) guided the RCB to a clinical seven-wicket win over the defending champions at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Saturday.

The duo added 95 runs for the opening wicket in just 8.3 overs, with Salt being particularly brutal against his former franchise. Champions Trophy hero Varun Chakaravarthy (1/43) was given a harsh reality check, with Salt hitting him for a six and three fours in his first over itself.

Newly appointed RCB skipper Rajat Patidar, too, played an important cameo of 34 off 16 balls as the visitors chased down KKR's 174/8 in just 16.2 overs.

Kohli, on the other hand, mixed aggression with caution wisely in typical fashion as he anchored yet another run chase even as Salt, Devdutt Padikkal (10) and Patidar fell trying to reach the target in a jiffy.

Soon after his fifty, a fan ran on to the pitch and fell at Kohli's feet and hugged him, before being escorted out of the stadium.

A fan who ran on to the pitch hugs Virat Kohli, at the Eden Gardens, in Kolkata | Salil Bera

Earlier, Ajinkya Rahane, who made his debut as the KKR skipper, made a breezy 56, putting on 103 runs for the second wicket with Sunil Narine (44), giving KKR a strong start.

At one stage, KKR looked to breach the 200-run mark with ease, but the RCB bowlers led by left-arm spinner Krunal Pandya (3/29) and pacer Josh Hazlewood (2/22) staged an impressive comeback. The KKR middle-order – Venkatesh Iyer (6), Rinku Singh (12) and Andre Russell (4) – failed to build on the strong start, with only Angkrish Raghuvanshi (30 off 22 balls) making some runs.

KKR will now play Rajasthan Royals on March 26, while the RCB will be up against familiar foes Chennai Super Kings on March 28.