Kolkata, Mar 22 (PTI): Royal Challengers Bengaluru skipper Rajat Patidar won the toss and elected to bowl against defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders in the opening game of the IPL 2025 here on Saturday.

This is for the first time KKR is facing RCB in the opening match of an IPL season since 2008.

Patidar has replaced Faf du Plessis as RCB skipper, while Ajinkya Rahane took over from Shreyas Iyer, who led KKR to their third IPL title last year.

Teams:

RCB: Virat Kohli, Phil Salt (wk), Rajat Patidar (C), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma, Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Rasikh Dar, Suyansh Sharma, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal.

KKR: Quinton de Kock(w), Venkatesh Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane(c), Rinku Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Spencer Johnson, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy.

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



Hassan (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said that the Congress government led by him was ready to face the no-confidence motion if moved by the opposition during the legislature session from December 8.

With Deputy CM D K Shivakumar by his side, he reiterated that they would both abide by the high command's decision on the leadership issue.

"Let them (opposition) bring in a no-confidence motion or adjournment motion or any other motion. We are ready to face it. Ours is an open book, transparent government. We are ready to face anything," Siddaramaiah said in response to a question.

However, BJP state President B Y Vijayendra and Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly R Ashoka, clarified that the party, along with the JD(S) has not discussed or decided anything so far regarding moving a no-confidence motion against the government.

ALSO READ: CM Siddaramaiah labels Kumaraswamy 'Manuvadi' over Bhagavad Gita curriculum push

The winter session of the Karnataka legislature will begin in Belagavi, bordering Maharashtra, on December 8 and will go on till 19th of this month.

Not wanting to react to a question on the leadership issue, the CM said the Congress high command is very strong.

"D K Shivakumar and I will be committed to whatever the high command decides," he said.

Earlier in the day in Bengaluru, Shivakumar accompanied AICC Mallikarjun Kharge till airport from Vidhana Soudha, after paying tributes to B R Ambedkar on his 69th death anniversary, which had led to some speculation about possible discussion between the two on the leadership issue.

The power tussle within the ruling party had intensified amid speculation about a change in chief minister in the state, after the Congress government reached the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20.

However, both the CM and Deputy CM had recently held breakfast meetings at each others residences, on the instructions of the high command, which is seen as a move to pause the leadership tussle between the two and to signal Siddaramaiah's continuation as the CM for the time being, especially ahead of the Belagavi legislature session.