 |
|
The Gujarat Titans (GT) demonstrated their dominance in the IPL 2025 season with a comprehensive victory over the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on their home ground. This win, propelled by stellar performances from Shubman Gill and Rashid Khan, highlighted GT's all-around strength. Gill's commanding 90, coupled with Sai Sudharsan's steady 52, laid a solid foundation, while Jos Buttler's explosive cameo ensured a formidable total of 198. In the bowling department, Gujarat's spin attack, led by Rashid Khan, proved decisive in stifling KKR's middle order, with the pacers providing crucial breakthroughs at opportune moments. This dominant showing solidified GT's position at the top of the table with their sixth win in eight matches.
The difference between the two sides largely boiled down to the middle overs. GT accelerated impressively, scoring at over 10 runs per over between the powerplay and the 15th over, while KKR struggled to maintain a run rate of just 7.6. Gill and Sudharsan provided the perfect platform for GT, capitalizing on a solid powerplay start. Gill's aggressive approach against KKR's spin attack, particularly his effective use of slog-sweeps, put the home team under immense pressure. KKR, on the other hand, failed to find answers against GT's equally potent spin bowling. They found themselves in a deep hole, making a comeback exceedingly difficult. Gujarat's well-executed plans ensured they remained grounded and in control throughout the match.
Gujarat's innings began cautiously. Gill and Sudharsan were watchful initially, despite the absence of any early wickets. Their Powerplay score of 45/0 was Gujarat's second-lowest of the season. The slightly slow surface prompted KKR to utilize three overs of spin, with Moeen Ali and Varun Chakravarthy. However, only two boundaries were conceded in these overs as the pacers bore the brunt of the attack. Harshit Rana was targeted by Gill, who unleashed consecutive boundaries, catching up to Sudharsan, who had been the early aggressor. Gill soon overtook him and established his dominance.
The middle overs saw Gill and Sudharsan take control of the innings. Gill reached his fifty in just 34 balls, unleashing a flurry of boundaries against the spinners. A sequence of 6,4,4 against Moeen Ali, featuring exquisite sweeps and a late cut, exemplified his aggressive intent. Sudharsan also picked his moments to attack, reaching his fifty in 33 balls - his eighth in the last 12 IPL innings. Their 114-run opening stand was a testament to their calculated approach of assessing the situation before exploding. This partnership provided GT with a strong foundation after being put in to bat, highlighting the strength of their fully firing top-order. In their 26 innings together, the duo had now put on 50-plus stands half the number of times. However, the partnership came to an end in the 13th over when Andre Russell induced an edge from Sudharsan with extra bounce. Jos Buttler then wasted no time in maintaining the momentum, hitting three boundaries off Russell in the same over. Although Buttler was dropped by Vaibhav Arora, he ensured that Gujarat's momentum did not wane.
In the death overs, Gill provided the initial impetus, scoring his last 29 runs in just 12 balls. Nearing his century, he was eventually dismissed off a full toss after hitting Vaibhav Arora for a four and a six. Rahul Tewatia was then dismissed by a slower ball from Rana. This momentarily threatened to give KKR a sniff back in the game. However, Arora faltered in the final over, missing his yorkers and conceding two fours and a six, resulting in an 18-run over that pushed Gujarat close to 200, with Buttler remaining unbeaten on 41.
KKR's chase got off to a poor start in the Powerplay, reaching 45/2. Rahmanullah Gurbaz, replacing Quinton de Kock, failed to address KKR's opening woes, falling LBW to Mohammed Siraj in the first over. Ajinkya Rahane attempted to counter that with boundaries clearing the infield, while Sunil Narine's three boundaries were more sporadic. Narine was then dismissed by Rashid Khan, pulling a delivery straight into the hands of backward square leg, giving Gujarat the upper hand in the Powerplay.
Unlike Gujarat, who accelerated in the middle overs, KKR struggled to maintain momentum. Rahane and Venkatesh Iyer were tied down by Prasidh Krishna and Rashid Khan. Iyer survived an LBW review against Rashid, and no boundaries were scored for 34 consecutive balls. Rahane finally broke the streak with a loft over cover off Washington Sundar and a slog-sweep for a six in the same over. Iyer struggled to 14 off 18 before sweeping Sai Kishore to deep midwicket. The 36-ball partnership yielded only 41 runs, leaving KKR with a steep required run rate. Rahane reached his fifty soon after but was then stumped off Sundar. Rinku Singh and Andre Russell were tasked with dragging KKR back into the game. While Russell managed a six and a four, they found it tough against accurate bowling.
In the death overs, KKR's struggles continued. Russell, KKR's key hope, was stumped off Rashid in the 16th over. Prasidh Krishna further tightened the screws, dismissing both Ramandeep Singh and Moeen Ali in quick succession, effectively ending any chance of a comeback. Krishna's figures of 2-25, combined with the spinners' performance, kept KKR in check. Rinku Singh's labored innings saw him get his first boundary only off the tenth ball he faced. Rashid also finished with exceptional figures of 2-25. Impact sub Angkrish Raghuvanshi's cameo of 27 was too little too late, as KKR limped to 159, staying put at seventh place with four wins and four losses.
The match concluded with Gujarat Titans defeating Kolkata Knight Riders by 39 runs. Shubman Gill's 90, Sai Sudharsan's 52, and Jos Buttler's 41* propelled Gujarat to 198/3. In response, Kolkata Knight Riders were restricted to 159/8, with Ajinkya Rahane's 50 being the only significant contribution. Rashid Khan and Prasidh Krishna both took 2-25. KKR now have a four-day gap before their next match against Punjab Kings, while Gujarat Titans have a longer gap before facing Rajasthan Royals.
In summary, Gujarat Titans' comprehensive performance, driven by strong batting displays and a dominant spin attack, resulted in a convincing victory over Kolkata Knight Riders. Their ability to accelerate in the middle overs and maintain control throughout the innings proved to be the key difference between the two sides. For KKR, a slow start, coupled with struggles against Gujarat's spin, ultimately led to their downfall.