Kolkata, April 21 (Sunday): On a batting-friendly Eden Gardens pitch, Gujarat Titans (GT) posted a commanding total of 198/3 in 20 overs against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Match 39 of IPL 2025, riding on a sensational 90 by skipper Shubman Gill and a composed 52 from Sai Sudharsan. After KKR skipper Sunil Narine won the toss and opted to bowl first, the Titans put on a show with the bat that left the home crowd in awe.
Gill Leads from the Front
Captain Shubman Gill was in sublime touch right from ball one. The local boy returned to Eden with a point to prove, and he delivered in style. Gill smashed 90 runs off just 55 deliveries, peppered with 10 boundaries and 3 sixes, showcasing his full range of elegant stroke play. His knock was a mix of timing, placement, and power, and he formed a crucial 114-run partnership with Sudharsan to put GT in control.
Gill’s dismissal came in the 18th over, just when he looked set for a century, as he tried to accelerate further and was caught by Rinku Singh off Vaibhav Arora.
Sudharsan’s Stability Shines Again
If Gill brought the flair, Sai Sudharsan brought the calm. The left-hander anchored the innings beautifully with a solid 52 off 36 balls, laced with 6 fours and 1 six. His ability to rotate strike and find gaps ensured that GT maintained momentum during the middle overs. Sudharsan eventually fell to Andre Russell in the 13th over, but not before laying a solid foundation.
Buttler Finishes Strong
After the set pair departed, it was down to Jos Buttler, who played the perfect finisher’s role. The English wicketkeeper remained unbeaten on 41 off 23 deliveries, keeping the scoring rate brisk with his signature power-hitting. His knock included 7 boundaries and was instrumental in pushing GT closer to the 200-run mark.
KKR’s Bowlers Struggle Under Pressure
Despite some disciplined spells by Varun Chakaravarthy (4-0-33-0) and Sunil Narine (4-0-36-0), KKR’s bowlers failed to create breakthroughs when needed. Vaibhav Arora was the pick of the bowlers, claiming 1 for 44 in his four overs and getting the prized wicket of Gill.
Harshit Rana also took a wicket but was expensive, conceding 45 runs in his quota. Andre Russell, bowling just a single over, gave away 13 runs but managed to dismiss Sudharsan.
Fall of Wickets:
- 114/1 – Sai Sudharsan c Gurbaz b Russell (12.2 overs)
- 172/2 – Shubman Gill c Rinku Singh b Vaibhav Arora (17.5 overs)
- 177/3 – Rahul Tewatia c Ramandeep Singh b Harshit Rana (18.3 overs)
What Lies Ahead
With a daunting target of 199 runs, KKR will need a blazing start from their top order to stay in the hunt. Given the firepower they possess, especially in their home conditions, a thrilling chase could be on the cards. The match remains finely poised, with live win probability slightly favoring GT at 55%, but a lot will depend on how the Knight Riders approach the powerplay.
In a high-stakes clash at Eden Gardens, Gujarat Titans have thrown the gauntlet at Kolkata Knight Riders with a near-200 total. With captain Gill leading by example and Buttler providing the finishing touch, GT have ticked all the right boxes in the first innings. All eyes are now on KKR’s response under the floodlights.
