KKR vs RR IPL 2025 Match 53 Highlights: A thrilling victory keeps KKR hopes alive

Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals IPL 2025 Match 53: Man of the Match

Andre Russell was named the player of the match for his batting performance in the first innings. The right-handed batter scored 57 runs in true Russell fashion off 25 deliveries. He had scored only two runs in the first nine balls he faced. However, once he faced the fast bowlers, the Jamaican all-rounder took the attack against the Rajasthan Royals. Russell smashed four fours and six sixes.

Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals IPL 2025 Match 53: Top Performers

Andre Russell - 57* (25)

Andre Russell rolled back the years as he clobbered the ball in the Eden Gardens for the first time this season. IPL 2025 had not been great for Russell, and it was a pretty unusual season from the ever-successful all-rounder. However, having turned 37 a few days ago, the right-hander found his mojo once again in the fag end of the first innings. Starting his knock, he had scored only a single run off the first six balls he faced. However, he ticked off the knock with four fours and six sixes as he scored his first half-century of the season.

Angkrish Raghuvanshi - 44 (31)

Angkrish Raghuvanshi played a great controlling knock amidst some great hitting from Andre Russell. The 20-year-old batter scored 44 runs in only 31 balls and strung together a couple of great partnerships. With Rahane for the third wicket, Raghuvanshi was the aggressor in the 42-run stand as he took on the spinners before the KKR skipper was dismissed by Riyan Parag. His roles reversed when Russell joined him at the crease as the big Jamaican all-rounder got into his groove. However, even when Russell was struggling against spinners, Angkrish kept the run rate in check by taking a few risks. During his stay at the crease, Raghuvanshi smashed five fours. 

Riyan Parag - 95 (45)

Like Andre Russell, Riyan Parag too smashed his first half–century of the season. The RR skipper played a blinder of a knock to get his team back into the clash as he struck six sixes in a row. He smashed Moeen Ali, who had great figures in his first two overs for five sixes in a row, before hitting Varun Chakravarthy for a six on the next ball he faced. Those sixes completely shifted the momentum from KKR to the Rajasthan Royals. He was pressured into playing a big shot that resulted in his downfall by a few dot balls from Harshit Rana. 

Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals IPL 2025 Match 53: 1st Innings Summary

It was an innings of different parts. The first three overs were controlled by the Rajasthan Royals as they gave away only 17 runs while dismissing Sunil Narine. However, KKR staged a comeback on the back of some hard hitting by Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ajinkya Rahane. The Afghan batter scored 35 runs in 25 balls. 

Meanwhile, right after the power play, the RR spinners controlled the flow of the runs and even got the better of the KKR skipper. It looked pretty gloomy for the hosts in the first 15 overs, even with Angkrish Raghuvanshi at the crease. But Andre Russell rolling back the years provided a fine finish to the innings. The Jamaican all-rounder scored his first half-century of the season, hitting the fast bowlers all around the park. Russell ended up with an unbeaten knock of 57 runs off 25 balls while Raghuvanshi played a great controlling knock, scoring 44 runs in 31 balls.

For the Rajasthan Royals, it was a murky bowling effort as no bowler could pick up multiple wickets for them. Riyan Parag was for the second game in a row was their most economical bowler and picked up a wicket as well. Among the pacers, Jofra Archer was pretty economical as well, as he went for only 30 runs in his four overs. 

Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals IPL 2025 Match 53: 2nd Innings Summary

KKR started the second innings in the best way possible. The hosts got a couple of wickets in the first two overs. However, it was a great comeback in the rest of the power play for the visitors, thanks to some incredible batting by Yashasvi Jaiswal and Riyan Parag, along with wayward bowling by the Knight Riders. 

After the power play came the battle of RR’s batters against the might of KKR spinners. In the next two overs, the men in purple and gold showed why they have one of the best spin attacks. Moeen Ali, coming in this game, broke the partnership with the scalp of Yashasvi Jaiswal. In the following over, Varun Chakravarthy picked up a couple of wickets, dismissing Dhruv Jurel and Wanindu Hasaranga. The spinners had seemed to seal the win, however, Riyan Parag played a blinder of a knock.

In the 13th over, he struck five sixes in a row against Moeen Ali and also brought up his half-century in the process. The over went for 32 runs and brought RR back into the game. Meanwhile, Rahane brought Varun Chakravarthy into the attack in the following over, and he too was struck for a six, which meant that Parag struck six sixes in a row. 

It seemed like Parag would score a match-winning century, but Harshit Rana, after being pretty expensive in his first two overs, made a strong comeback. The right-arm pacer broke the partnership, dismissing Shimron Hetmyer. In the following over, he strung together a few dot balls and pressured Parag into playing a risky shot that ended with his dismissal.