Kolkata, April 21 – Match 39 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 sees a thrilling contest between Kolkata Knight Riders and Gujarat Titans at the iconic Eden Gardens. KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane won the toss and elected to bowl first, putting Gujarat’s batting unit to the test in a high-stakes encounter on Monday evening.
This is the fifth time these two sides are facing off in IPL history. Gujarat Titans currently hold a slight edge with two victories in their four meetings so far, while KKR has won once — a memorable triumph powered by Rinku Singh’s historic five-sixes-in-an-over finish.
KKR Banking on Balanced Attack
The Kolkata Knight Riders have fielded a power-packed XI, blending explosive batting with versatile bowling. Rahmanullah Gurbaz will don the wicketkeeping gloves, while the ever-reliable Sunil Narine joins Rahane at the top. Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, and Moeen Ali add depth to the middle order, with Andre Russell set to play the finisher’s role. The bowling attack features Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, and mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy — all expected to capitalize on Eden’s spin-friendly surface.
KKR Playing XI:
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Moeen Ali, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakravarthy.
Gujarat Titans Aim for Redemption
Shubman Gill’s Gujarat Titans, on the other hand, are keen to make a strong comeback after a few inconsistent performances this season. The top order features Sai Sudharsan, Gill himself, and England’s star batter Jos Buttler, who will also keep wickets. With finishers like Sherfane Rutherford and Rahul Tewatia, and a strong spin core including Rashid Khan and R Sai Kishore, GT looks primed for a competitive total.
GT Playing XI:
Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Jos Buttler (wk), Sherfane Rutherford, Rahul Tewatia, Washington Sundar, Shahrukh Khan, Rashid Khan, R Sai Kishore, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj.
High Stakes, High Drama
Both teams are eager to solidify their positions in the playoff race. With the Eden Gardens crowd in full voice and key matchups like Narine vs Gill and Rashid vs Rinku Singh on the cards, fans can expect a thrilling evening of T20 cricket.
Stay tuned for live updates and post-match analysis as the IPL 2025 continues to deliver action-packed entertainment!
