Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will take on Gujarat Titans (GT) in an IPL 2025 clash at Eden Gardens on Monday. Notably, KKR will be happy to welcome back Abhishek Nayar, who returns after working with India’s national team.
Head-to-Head: GT Hold the Advantage
So far, GT have won two of their four matches against KKR. In fact, when they last met at Eden Gardens in 2023, GT came out on top. Therefore, the Titans will enter the match with confidence.
GT won their previous match just a day ago. As a result, they will try to continue their winning run. On the other hand, KKR have had an up-and-down season. They crushed Chennai Super Kings but then suffered a heavy loss to Punjab Kings.
KKR Team News: Batting Woes Continue
KKR have lost tight matches mainly due to poor batting. Though their bowlers have done well, the team still failed to get results.
Captain Ajinkya Rahane has led from the front. He has scored the most runs and performed in key moments. Moreover, Angkrish Raghuvanshi has looked solid at number four.
Although Quinton de Kock and Sunil Narine rank high in run charts, their big knocks came only in one match each. Meanwhile, Venkatesh Iyer and Rinku Singh have struggled this season except for one good outing. Additionally, Andre Russell and Ramandeep Singh have failed to adapt to match situations. Instead, they have relied too much on big hitting.
On the bowling front, Varun Chakaravarthy and Harshit Rana have been consistent. They have provided breakthroughs regularly. Furthermore, Vaibhav Arora has been slightly expensive, but that’s expected in powerplay overs. Both Narine and Arora have helped take wickets, reducing the need for Russell to bowl.
Importantly, Anrich Nortje has returned to fitness. His presence adds pace to the attack. However, it remains to be seen how effective he will be on home turf.
GT Team News: Strong Top Order
GT captain Shubman Gill, a former KKR player, returns to Eden Gardens. He forms a strong top three with Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler. So far, this trio has scored most of GT’s runs. Moreover, impact player Sherfane Rutherford has made his chances count.
However, Shahrukh Khan and Rahul Tewatia have not made the most of their batting chances yet.
In the bowling department, Prasidh Krishna, another former KKR player, has found his rhythm. He has taken 14 wickets and now holds the Purple Cap. Additionally, Mohammed Siraj has impressed with the new ball. Alongside him, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore has delivered important spells.
Despite this, Rashid Khan has not looked like his old self. Furthermore, the other pacers have failed to make a mark.
Pitch Report
Interestingly, the match will be played on the same surface used in KKR’s game against Sunrisers Hyderabad. That game saw many runs scored. Although the pitch has grass cover, it is still expected to favour batters. Also, humid conditions mean dew could affect the second innings.
