IPL 2025: KKR Battle Form Slump Against Table-Toppers Gujarat Titans

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will look to arrest their downward spiral and revive their IPL 2025 campaign when they take on table-toppers Gujarat Titans (GT) in a crucial 39th fixture at Eden Gardens on Monday, April 21. With just seven games remaining, the three-time champions find themselves in a tight corner—needing to win at least five matches to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Led by Ajinkya Rahane, KKR are reeling from an embarrassing collapse in their previous outing, where they were bowled out for a mere 95 while chasing a modest 112 against Punjab Kings in Mullanpur. The defeat underscored KKR’s persistent struggles with the bat—a concern the team management hopes to address through a major mid-season shake-up.

In a move that has stirred both optimism and curiosity, the franchise has welcomed back Abhishek Nayar as a mentor. Recently relieved of his duties by the Indian Cricket Board, Nayar returns to familiar territory and is expected to play a key role in stabilising the squad. His previous stint with KKR saw notable success, and his return could prove pivotal in reigniting the team’s form.

Gujarat Titans, on the other hand, continue their imperious run in the tournament. The 2022 champions chased down a formidable 204-run target in their last match against Delhi Capitals at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. England’s Jos Buttler was the architect of the win, hammering an unbeaten 97* to guide his side home with four balls to spare. With the likes of Shubman Gill, Rashid Khan, and Mohammed Siraj in form, GT will enter Eden Gardens with confidence and momentum on their side.

Injury Watch and Team News

KKR have been dealt a blow with young pacer Vaibhav Arora ruled out due to injury. Meanwhile, Gujarat Titans are expected to field a full-strength squad, further tipping the scales in their favour.

Pitch Report

The Eden Gardens surface has provided a fair contest between bat and ball in this year’s IPL, with batters able to score freely and bowlers gaining assistance from the track. The team winning the toss is likely to opt for batting first, aiming to post a challenging total under the lights.

Probable XIs

Kolkata Knight Riders: Quinton de Kock (wk), Rinku Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Ajinkya Rahane (C), Venkatesh Iyer, Ramandeep Singh, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana, Anrich Nortje

Gujarat Titans: Jos Buttler (wk), Shubman Gill (C), Sai Sudharsan, Sherfane Rutherford, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, R Sai Kishore, Arshad Khan, Rashid Khan, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj

As the two teams clash at the iconic Eden Gardens, all eyes will be on whether KKR can rise from the ashes or if Gujarat Titans will continue their dominant march toward the playoffs.