IPL 2025
KKR have secured three wins while suffering four losses thus far. © BCCI
The reigning champions have faced a bumpy start to the 2025 season. Defending a title is inherently challenging, especially following a major player auction just months after winning it. The departure of pivotal players was anticipated, including the controversial decision not to retain their title-winning captain Shreyas Iyer. Additionally, KKR lost their mentor Gautam Gambhir to the senior men’s team head coach role. Compounding these issues, they have struggled to secure their preferred playing conditions at home, an ongoing concern.
At the season’s midpoint, KKR’s record stands at three wins and four losses, indicating a slightly subpar performance. However, they remain optimistic about turning their fortunes around, knowing that momentum in T20 cricket can shift rapidly. For this to happen, their batting line-up needs greater adaptability. A significant concern is their apparent weakness against spin bowling, with only Sunil Narine and Venkatesh Iyer demonstrating comfort against spin attacks.
This batting vulnerability has already hurt them, evidenced by their historic collapse against PBKS, which marked the lowest IPL total to be defended successfully. Such defeats can severely impact morale, and unless a temporary solution is found, their situation may worsen. Additionally, the lower middle order has been underperforming, another area for KKR to focus on as the season progresses. Conversely, their spin attack remains a bright spot so far.
KKR is set to face a significant challenge against the Gujarat Titans, who have excelled against spin this season. This matchup could be pivotal for both teams, with GT currently boasting five wins out of seven matches and looking to secure a playoff spot soon. Although captain Shubman Gill has yet to reach peak form, his teammates Jos Buttler and Sai Sudharsan have stepped up, keeping the lower middle order from being tested heavily.
The Titans’ strength has come from their pace bowlers, particularly Prasidh Krishna, who is having an outstanding season. Mohammed Siraj has also delivered strong performances, while Sai Kishore has emerged as the leading wicket-taker, compensating for Rashid Khan’s less remarkable outings. Overall, in terms of team morale, performance, and composition, the Titans are seen as strong contenders in this matchup, though KKR possesses enough star power to pose a threat on any given day.
Head-to-Head: KKR 1-2 GT
When: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Gujarat Titans, Match 39, IPL 2025, 7.30 PM IST
Where: Eden Gardens, Kolkata
What to expect: The pitches have generally been conducive to batting, offering good pace and bounce. The shorter boundaries have aided power-hitting, except in the match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, where the pitch favored spinners. KKR is hoping for similar spin-friendly conditions at home, but with Rashid Khan and Sai Kishore in the opposition, a spinning track could prove risky.
Team news
Kolkata Knight Riders
Injuries/Unavailability: KKR has reported no injuries or availability issues.
Tactics and Matchups: Sunil Narine has dismissed Shubman Gill twice, conceding just 13 runs in 12 deliveries. He has also kept Jos Buttler to 61 runs in 57 balls with one wicket. Given Buttler’s success against other KKR bowlers, Narine’s performance will be critical in this encounter.
Probable XII: Sunil Narine, Quinton de Kock (wk), Ajinkya Rahane (c), Venkatesh Iyer, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Anrich Nortje, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakaravarthy.
Gujarat Titans
Injury/Unavailability: Kagiso Rabada remains unavailable due to a personal emergency.
Tactics and Matchups: GT leads with the best spin statistics this season, with an average of 52.37 and a strike rate of 162.4. Their top three batsmen boast a cumulative average of 49.72. Jos Buttler’s performance will be crucial against KKR’s spin attack, especially considering his favorable strike rate against their bowlers.
Probable XII: Shubman Gill (c), Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler (wk), Sherfane Rutherford, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Arshad Khan, Rashid Khan, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Ishant Sharma/Washington Sundar.
Did you know?
*KKR leads in spin economy rates (6.51 RPO) and is the only team not to concede at 8 RPO or above.
*GT’s top three players have collectively scored 69.86% of their runs this season (excluding extras).
*Jos Buttler has two centuries and a fifty in seven innings at Eden Gardens, maintaining a strike rate of 165, significantly higher than his average IPL strike rate of 148.74.
What they said
“Everyone knows that Shubman (Gill) is a world-class batter. He consistently delivers when the going gets tough.” – Rahul Tewatia expresses confidence in his captain’s impending form.
“As a batting unit, we did not perform well. I take responsibility as captain for failing to chase down the target, but I believe all players, especially the batters, will reflect on their games and improve in future matches.” – Ajinkya Rahane acknowledges his team’s shortcomings.
© Cricbuzz
