🏏 Gujarat Titans Continue Dominance Over KKR at Eden Gardens
In the much-anticipated GT vs KKR Eden Gardens clash, Gujarat Titans (GT) delivered a clinical performance to defeat Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 39 runs. The victory reinforced GT’s hold on the top spot in the points table, while KKR’s chances of making the playoffs took another hit.
Playing at Eden Gardens, a venue known for its unpredictable surfaces, KKR hoped for a turnaround. However, they were once again let down by poor execution, inconsistent bowling, and a fragile batting lineup.
🚨 KKR’s Familiar Issues Persist in Must-Win Game
Before the match, KKR needed to win five out of their remaining seven games to stay in playoff contention. Now, with one more game lost, that margin is even thinner.
To address their struggles at the top of the order, Kolkata reintroduced Rahmanullah Gurbaz to open alongside Sunil Narine. However, the plan failed as Mohammed Siraj trapped Gurbaz LBW for just 1 in the opening over, giving the match an early shift in momentum.
Captain Ajinkya Rahane partnered with Narine and tried to counterattack. He found a few early boundaries and even launched a confident shot over Prasidh Krishna. Rashid Khan struck in the last over of the powerplay, sending Narine back and shifting the momentum towards GT.
Kolkata’s total after 7 overs was just 50 runs. Given their well-documented vulnerability to spin, they found it tough as GT brought on Washington Sundar and Sai Kishore.The two tweakers, along with Rashid, bowled tight lines and kept the run rate in check. Only 18 runs came off the 8th to 10th overs.
🎯 Spin Choke Halts KKR Momentum
The GT vs KKR Eden Gardens battle turned into a spin masterclass. Sai Kishore struck next, removing Venkatesh Iyer for a sluggish 14. The wicket deepened Kolkata’s troubles.
Rahane fought on and brought up his half-century in 36 balls, but was dismissed by Washington Sundar immediately after. The middle order failed to provide any spark. Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Rinku Singh, and Moeen Ali all departed cheaply, unable to counter the spin threat or increase the scoring rate.
The innings ended in disappointment as KKR failed to chase 199, falling well short and handing GT a dominant win.
KKR’s Performance at Eden Gardens: Stats & History for a deeper dive into Kolkata Knight Riders’ record at their home ground.
🚀 Gill and Sudharsan Lay the Foundation for Titans
Earlier in the match, GT’s decision to bat first proved wise. Despite a slow start, the pair of Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan built their innings smartly. In the first two overs, they scored only one boundary as Vaibhav Arora and Moeen Ali bowled tight lines.
In the third over, Sudharsan found his rhythm, dispatching Vaibhav for two elegant boundaries.Gill soon followed, targeting Harshit Rana with elegant strokeplay. GT reached 45/0 at the end of the powerplay — their second-lowest this season — but more importantly, they had not lost a wicket.
Gill exploded in the seventh over with a six and two fours off Moeen. He reached his fifty in the 11th over off 34 balls. Sudharsan also reached a well-paced half-century off 33 deliveries. The duo added 114 for the first wicket, giving GT a perfect platform.
Sudharsan fell to Russell in the 13th over, nicking one behind. But the harm was already done — the groundwork had been set.
🔥 Buttler’s Spark and Gill’s Mastery Secure the Victory
Jos Buttler entered with attacking intent, smashing two fours and a ramp shot in his first four balls. KKR’s fielding woes continued as Buttler was dropped twice — once on 17 by Vaibhav and again on 22 by Manish Pandey.
Gill, unfazed, continued to score freely. He hit two fours off Varun Chakravarthy in the 15th over, then launched Narine for a six. Varun and Narine both went wicketless, conceding 33 and 36 runs respectively in their four-over spells.
Top Spinners in IPL 2025 for insights into the most effective spin bowlers this season.
Gill fell in the 18th over for 90, caught by Rinku Singh. He fell just 10 runs shy of a well-earned century. Even with the wicket, GT’s run rate remained steady.Shahrukh Khan added a few boundaries in the final overs to push GT to a challenging 198/3.
