Expectations run high at this point, for the KKR-GT battles in IPL 2025 are vying for a playoff slot. The defending champions, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), are in mid-table, having won only three of their seven games.
The journey has hardly been easy for KKR while defending the IPL title, and its 2025 was worse, as the team had several obstacles after its successful 2024 season. Directly coming from the mega auction, a strong shake-up occurred when the KKR management controversially decided not to retain their title-winning captain, Shreyas Iyer. Their long-standing mentor, Gautam Gambhir, now coaching the Indian men’s national team, is also a loss for them. As if this was not enough, they also faced horrible complaints about their home pitch conditions that did not go well with their preference for a slow, spin-friendly surface.
At the halfway point of their campaign, KKR’s performance has been underwhelming. Their biggest worry has been the batting unit’s inability to handle quality spin bowling. Other than Sunil Narine, who’s more of a power hitter than a technique-based batter, and the occasionally dependable Venkatesh Iyer, the rest of the lineup have looked vulnerable when the ball turns. This vulnerability came to light during the spectacular collapse against Punjab Kings in a match where the opponent defended the lowest total in IPL history.
They expected their lower middle order to finish games, but the setup has failed over and over again. But the silver lining is that KKR boasts a formidable spin attack that has the lowest economy rate in the tournament at 6.51 RPO this season.
KKR faces a formidable GT team, who have consistently dominated spin attacks in the IPL 2025 KKR vs GT match. The Titans top the charts for average (52.37) and strike rate (162.4) against spin, a clear sign that they won’t be fazed by KKR’s spin-heavy bowling unit.
GT’s top order has been in sublime form. While skipper Shubman Gill has yet to reach his peak, Jos Buttler and Sai Sudharsan have more than compensated. Buttler, of course, has been already in form with two centuries under his belt this time, both scored at Eden Gardens, the very venue for the match. His record at this ground is simply phenomenal, with a strike rate of 165 against a rich history of dominating KKR bowlers, especially Varun Chakaravarthy and Anrich Nortje.
The Titans bowling unit has also had the upper hand. Prasidh Krishna has a star performer among the ball, comfortably backed up by Mohammed Siraj and Sai Kishore. Rashid Khan may not be in the best of his forms but can still be a threatening bowler, especially when the pitch starts turning. With Kagiso Rabada unavailable due to a personal emergency, the onus will be on these bowlers to contain KKR’s batters.
KKR’s Fruity Opening Pair
KKR would want to rely on Sunil Narine and Quinton de Kock as openers to get them a good start. Against Shubman Gill, Narine has been quite effective; he has got him out twice in just 12 balls. He previously outdid Jos Buttler in other competitive matches.
Pressure on Rahane to Step up.
A captain, Ajinkya Rahane is under even more pressure since he needs to take charge. After the batting collapse, Rahane has cited them as the reason for the team’s recent failure. These are the crucial phases of the season that he needs to provide stability for and lead the team through.
What to Expect at Eden Gardens
The Eden Gardens surface has generally been good for batting, with pace and bounce assisting strokeplay. However, in a notable exception, the pitch offered turn during a previous match against Sunrisers Hyderabad—something KKR management would love to see more often. While GT excels at playing spin, their strong spin attack could render a turning pitch ineffective.
Head-to-Head: KKR 1 – 2 GT
It will be the fourth instance of the two squads clashing, with perhaps a slight advantage to GT. Both teams will fight for important points, with KKR looking for a rebound while GT wants one for the playoff spot, thus promising this IPL 2025 KKR vs GT duel will be exciting.
Did You Know?
- KKR’s spin attack has the best economy rate (6.51 RPO) in IPL 2025.
- Almost 70% of runs made by the team were scored this season by the top 3 batters of GT.
- Jos Buttler has a great record at Eden Gardens with two centuries and a strike rate of 165.
Match Details:
- Match: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Gujarat Titans, Match 39, IPL 2025
- Date and Time: 7:30 PM IST
- Venue: Eden Gardens, Kolkata
As we near the edge-of-the-seat IPL 2025 KKR vs GT, it would be interesting to see if KKR’s spin wizards can stem the Titans’ tide or if GT’s top order just carries on with business. Either way, it’s going to be a cracker at the City of Joy! Content source cricbuzz
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