Did Ajinkya Rahane Almost Miss KKR Team Bus? The Inside Story of the Viral Video

As highly anticipated IPL 2025 opener is set to be held at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, there is mounting excitement among cricket fans. The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), the defending champions, will be hosting Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in a match that would be immensely intriguing. But before this turning point match, a viral video of KKR's new skipper, Ajinkya Rahane, has tongues loosening and rumors aplenty on social media.

The Viral Video That Invaded the Internet

The aforementioned video supposedly shows Ajinkya Rahane running toward the KKR team bus as if he was in a race to board the bus before its departure for practice. With a bat in hand, Rahane appears to be running, and this has elicited various interpretations. Some on the internet speculated that the KKR captain was endangering himself by being left behind by the team bus, whereas others asserted it was a moment caught naturally during the moment.

Despite the rising buzz, nothing official regarding the authenticity of the video has come out. The video has gained widespread circulation over different platforms with fans debating and discussing it extensively. Some fans have even used humor to draw parallels with his mythical running-between-the-wickets skill Rahane has demonstrated with his cricket life.

Rain Threat Looms Over KKR vs. RCB Clash

With time ticking towards the IPL 2025 opener, one more issue has arisen in the limelight—the weather. An "orange alert" has been released by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) in Kolkata, predicting thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds. With rain forecasted with an over 80% chance on match day, there is widespread uncertainty if the match will be held as scheduled.

Throughout the pre-match days, incessant rain showers have already spoiled the practice sessions of both teams. KKR, in particular, called off an intra-squad practice match after one innings as unexpected rain discouraged them from practicing further. Though both teams have managed to practice to some extent, weather conditions are volatile and can affect the match strategy and the game itself.

One of the most intriguing aspects of IPL 2025 is the leadership change for KKR and RCB. This season, KKR is led by old campaigner Ajinkya Rahane, a man known for his calm demeanor and level head. RCB, however, has put the leadership responsibility in the hands of Rajat Patidar, a man who will be leading a team for the first time in the IPL.

With new captains on the helms of their own ships, fans are eager to see how the teams will be able to merge new game plans and strategies. While KKR has a good-balanced team with experienced players like Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, and Quinton de Kock, RCB is not one to be taken lightly due to veterans like Virat Kohli, Liam Livingstone, and Josh Hazlewood in their ranks.

Sourav Ganguly's IPL 2025 Take

Prior to the start of the season, former KKR captain and cricket legend Sourav Ganguly spoke about the tournament. Ganguly emphasized that it is too early to state which team holds the upper hand, as each team has developed well-balanced teams.

"It is too early to comment on anything now. The tournament is long and highly competitive. Each team has a solid lineup, and anything can happen," Ganguly told a media interaction.

Full KKR and RCB Squads

Kolkata Knight Riders IPL 2025 Squad-

Ajinkya Rahane (c)

Quinton de Kock (w)

Sunil Narine

Angkrish Raghuvanshi

Venkatesh Iyer

Rinku Singh

Andre Russell

Ramandeep Singh

Harshit Rana

Varun Chakaravarthy

Spencer Johnson

Vaibhav Arora

Rahmanullah Gurbaz

Manish Pandey

Moeen Ali

Anrich Nortje

Rovman Powell

Anukul Roy

Mayank Markande

Chetan Sakariya

Luvnith Sisodia

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Squad for IPL 2025:

Rajat Patidar (c)

Virat Kohli

Philip Salt

Devdutt Padikkal

Jitesh Sharma (w)

Liam Livingstone

Tim David

Krunal Pandya

Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Josh Hazlewood

Yash Dayal

Swapnil Singh

Lungi Ngidi

Romario Shepherd

Manoj Bhandage

Rasikh Dar Salam

Nuwan Thushara

Jacob Bethell

Suyash Sharma

Mohit Rathee

Swastik Chikara

Abhinandan Singh

While fans wait for the start of IPL 2025, the anticipation just grows. Whether it is the drama surrounding the viral video of Ajinkya Rahane or the possibility of rain impacting the first match, there is no shortage of storylines heading into the season.

With two strong sides to clash and fresh captains steering them, the first match of IPL 2025 is going to be an electrifying contest—provided the weather allows. Cricket enthusiasts all over the world will be wishing for clear skies and an exciting match as the journey towards IPL glory begins