kolkata knight riders vs rajasthan royals timeline
Introduction: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals Timeline
There are rivalries in the IPL that feel loud and flashy, and then there’s KKR vs RR — the rivalry that sneaks up on you and suddenly punches you in the gut with drama you weren’t expecting.
I’ve watched this rivalry since the very first season, sometimes sitting with friends screaming like maniacs, sometimes alone with my headphones on, and sometimes secretly streaming during family dinners (don’t judge me). And if there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years, it’s this:
KKR vs RR matches don’t follow rules. They just follow chaos.
One year it’s RR dominating with calm, composed cricket.
Next year KKR walks in with swagger and crushes Rajasthan like it’s a weekend routine.
Then suddenly a youngster shows up, plays the innings of his life, and flips the script again.
This rivalry feels less like cricket and more like a spicy Bollywood thriller — full of twists, last-ball madness, impossible comebacks, heartbreaks, and moments where you literally sit there thinking:
“Bro… did that really just happen?”
Let’s walk through this rivalry year by year — not like a boring statistics list — but like fans talking over a plate of momos and a glass of cold Thums Up.
Table of Contents
KKR vs RR Timeline Table (All Key Seasons)
Here’s a clean timeline table for quick browsing before we jump into the detailed storytelling.
| Season | Match Highlights | Winner | Key Performers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | RR spin traps KKR; early dominance | Rajasthan Royals | Shane Watson, Yusuf Pathan |
| 2009 | RR win in Super Over – heartbreak for KKR | Rajasthan Royals | Yusuf Pathan |
| 2010 | KKR finally break through | Kolkata Knight Riders | Sourav Ganguly |
| 2011 | RR discipline KKR | Rajasthan Royals | Shane Warne |
| 2012 | KKR dominate during champion season | Kolkata Knight Riders | Narine, Gambhir |
| 2013 | Rain drama pushes RR to victory | Rajasthan Royals | Rahane, Hodge |
| 2014 | KKR win during legendary 9-win streak | Kolkata Knight Riders | Robin Uthappa |
| 2015 | RR post big total; KKR collapse | Rajasthan Royals | Steven Smith |
| 2016 | KKR all-round brilliance | Kolkata Knight Riders | Andre Russell |
| 2017 | No meeting | — | — |
| 2018 | Eliminator: KKR crush RR | Kolkata Knight Riders | Narine |
| 2019 | Riyan Parag’s iconic finisher moment | Rajasthan Royals | Riyan Parag |
| 2020 | KKR dominate both matches | Kolkata Knight Riders | Gill, Cummins |
| 2021 | RR defend a small score with heart | Rajasthan Royals | Morris |
| 2022 | KKR win comfortably | Kolkata Knight Riders | Shreyas Iyer |
| 2023 | Jaiswal’s 20-ball fifty — pure destruction | Rajasthan Royals | Yashasvi Jaiswal |
| 2024 | Buttler’s last-ball century stuns KKR | Rajasthan Royals | Jos Buttler |
THE FULL 2000-WORD HUMANIZED STORY STARTS HERE
2008–2010: RR Become the “Toppers” and KKR Stay the “Talented but Inconsistent Kid”
I still remember the first-ever season like it was yesterday. KKR had Shah Rukh Khan, a cool anthem, and huge hype.
RR? Just a bunch of underrated guys trying to figure life out.
Yet RR walked in like that quiet school kid who never shows off but tops every exam.
KKR, with all their glamour, looked confused.
RR’s bowling was sharp, their discipline was impressive, and their energy just felt… different.
Then came 2009, when RR dragged KKR into a Super Over.
That match aged me 10 years.
Yusuf Pathan hitting those shots felt like he wasn’t playing cricket — he was settling personal scores.
KKR fans felt the heartbreak deeply.
I was one of them.
2010 finally gave us one breath of relief when KKR pulled off a chase and Ganguly looked like the calmest man on earth.
But overall?
These early years belonged to Rajasthan.
2011–2014: The Gambhir Era — KKR Find Confidence, Identity & Silence Critics
Everything changed when Gautam Gambhir took the captaincy.
Suddenly KKR looked like a team that meant business.
There was structure, aggression, purpose — a full personality shift.
In 2012, the Knight Riders didn’t just win games.
They dominated them.
Sunil Narine, with that unreadable action and laser-focused accuracy, tortured RR’s batters.
It felt like RR’s confident aura from earlier seasons was finally being challenged.
2014 was even sweeter.
KKR’s 9-match winning streak is the stuff of IPL legend.
And one of those wins was a clinical, satisfying takedown of RR.
This era was like watching your shy friend suddenly hit the gym, change his wardrobe, and walk into college like a hero.
RR knew they had competition now.
2015–2019: The “Nobody Can Predict This Rivalry” Phase
These were the years when this rivalry turned into a total wild card.
One season RR played like they had a full master plan.
Next season KKR looked unbeatable.
Then suddenly a teenager would show up and flip the match upside down.
2019 was special.
Riyan Parag — just 17 — hit winning runs like he’d been doing this for years.
He played a calm, mature knock under pressure, and then…
He did the “dab.”
Right in the middle of the stadium.
Even as a KKR fan, I couldn’t help smiling.
This was peak IPL — young talent, fearless cricket, full vibes.
RR and KKR were no longer just teams.
They were unpredictable characters in a long series with unpredictable plot twists.
2020–2021: KKR Strike First, RR Clap Back
2020 was the season where KKR absolutely owned RR.
Both matches were one-sided.
Gill looked silky while batting.
Cummins bowled thunderbolts.
It felt like KKR had RR’s entire strategy decoded.
But then came 2021 — a reminder that RR never stay down for long.
Chasing a small total, KKR collapsed.
RR bowled like their lives depended on it.
Every dot ball felt charged with electricity.
Chris Morris bowled as if the pitch owed him money.
It was gritty.
It was tense.
And it was the perfect example of why this rivalry refuses to follow patterns.
2022–2023: The Years of New Heroes
2022 brought Shreyas Iyer’s calm leadership for KKR.
They played smarter cricket.
RR felt slightly off rhythm.
KKR walked away with a well-earned win.
But then came 2023.
If you watched Yashasvi Jaiswal smash a 20-ball fifty that night, you know what I’m talking about.
He wasn’t batting.
He was charging.
Every ball felt like RR had unlocked a cheat code.
KKR’s bowlers, some of the most experienced in the league, looked helpless.
It was beautiful, brutal, and unforgettable.
2024: THE MATCH THAT WILL BE REMEMBERED FOR YEARS
And then came the Buttler game — a match that deserves its own chapter.
KKR controlled the entire game.
RR needed a miracle.
Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, thought the match was done.
But Jos Buttler?
He had other plans.
His hundred was not just a century — it was an emotion.
He paced it perfectly.
He stayed calm when RR fans had already given up.
He hit boundaries like he was gently correcting mistakes.
The last-ball finish?
I remember sitting in silence for 10 seconds after that shot.
Even commentators sounded like they had forgotten how to breathe.
RR fans screamed.
KKR fans sighed.
Neutral fans applauded.
That’s the magic of this rivalry.
Why This Rivalry Hits So Hard (And So Personally)
Because KKR vs RR doesn’t feel like a match.
It feels like a story.
Some days KKR plays like a polished, disciplined army.
Other days RR walks in with raw instinct and fearless cricket.
KKR is the chess player.
RR is the street-smart kid who wins anyway.
And every season, when the schedule drops, I look for one thing before anything else:
“When is KKR vs RR?”
Because I know — even without looking at squads, form, or pitch reports — that something memorable will happen.
What’s Next? The Future Is Even Brighter
With talents like:
- Rinku Singh
- Jaiswal
- Parag
- Venkatesh Iyer
- Sandeep Sharma
- Salt
- Narine (still magical)
This rivalry is about to get more dramatic, more aggressive, and more unpredictable.
I honestly can’t wait.
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