IPL 2025, GT vs KKR: Table-toppers Gujarat Titans take on struggling Kolkata Knight Riders

Kolkata: Gujarat Titans, led by Shubman Gill, have emerged as the surprise leaders of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season, notching up five wins from seven matches with an impressive net run rate of +0.984.

They will be aiming to consolidate their top spot on the points table when they face Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens here on Monday in Match 39 of the tournament.

Gujarat have outperformed expectations this season, dethroning Delhi Capitals in a high-scoring thriller in their previous outing. With a strong batting lineup led by Jos Buttler and Sai Sudharsan, and a potent bowling attack spearheaded by Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj, GT are beginning to look like serious contenders for a playoff berth and beyond.

In contrast, the Kolkata have had a patchy run so far, winning just three of their seven matches. Currently placed sixth on the table, KKR have struggled to find consistency. Captain Ajinkya Rahane, the side’s top scorer with 221 runs from seven innings, will be under pressure to inspire a turnaround on home turf.

KKR's Knight campaign has been marked by alternating wins and losses. After a heavy opening defeat to RCB, they bounced back against Rajasthan Royals with a convincing 8-wicket win. But subsequent games followed a similar win-loss pattern, including narrow defeats to LSG and PBKS, despite spirited performances from players like Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Andre Russell.

KKR’s spin department, traditionally their strength at Eden Gardens, has delivered in patches. Varun Chakravarthy and Harshit Rana lead their bowling charts with 10 wickets apiece. Sunil Narine’s economical spells have also been key, but lack of depth in batting and support for Rahane and Raghuvanshi remains a concern.

Gujarat, on the other hand, have impressed with both bat and ball. Sai Sudharsan’s 82 against Rajasthan Royals and Buttler’s 97 in the win over Delhi Capitals have set the tone at the top. Prasidh Krishna has been exceptional with the ball, taking 4/41 in the previous match, while Mohammed Siraj and Arshad Khan have offered steady support.

GT started the season with a narrow loss to Punjab Kings but bounced back with four successive wins, including dominant victories over Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore. A brief hiccup against LSG was corrected with their confident chase of 203 against Delhi, sealing a 7-wicket win and reclaiming the top spot.

The Eden Gardens pitch is expected to favour batsmen, with high scores seen in earlier matches this season. Of the three games played at the venue so far, teams batting first have won twice, with scores in excess of 200. Spinners are likely to get some assistance in the second innings.

Weather conditions on match day will be hot and humid, with temperatures hovering between 28°C and 36°C. No rain is forecast, and wind speeds will be moderate from the south-southwest.

The team winning the toss is likely to opt to bat first, taking advantage of the high-scoring conditions. Both sides boast power-hitters and quality bowlers, but GT’s allround balance and superior form give them the edge.

In the last four encounters between the two sides in the IPL, Gujarat Titans hold a 2-1 lead with one match washed out. Their record and form tilt the odds in their favour going into Monday’s clash.

Predicted XIs:

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

Gujarat Titans: Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Jos Buttler (wk), Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Arshad Khan, R. Sai Kishore, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, Ishant Sharma

As the tournament enters its crucial mid-phase, a win here could strengthen GT’s hold on the top slot, while for KKR, the match is almost a must-win to stay in playoff contention.