NEW DELHI: A commanding 114-run opening stand between skipper Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan on a sluggish Eden Gardens surface proved decisive as Gujarat Titans outclassed Kolkata Knight Riders by 39 runs in their IPL clash on Monday.
Sent in to bat on a pitch described as “really slow” by both captains, Gill and Sudharsan played with patience and precision, blunting any early advantage KKR hoped to gain after opting to bowl. The Titans posted a competitive 198/3, hitting just five sixes in their innings but making smart use of gaps and strike rotation.
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Gill, who looked set for his first hundred of the season, fell for a sublime 90 off 55 balls (10 fours, 3 sixes), while Sudharsan continued his consistent form with 52 off 36. Jos Buttler, fresh from his last match heroics, remained unbeaten on 41 from 23 balls, surprisingly not hitting a single six but crunching eight boundaries.
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The target of 199 proved well beyond KKR’s reach as they were restricted to 159/8. The loss was their fifth in eight matches, leaving them languishing in seventh place. Titans, meanwhile, stayed at the top with 12 points from eight games.
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Ajinkya Rahane, leading KKR, top-scored with 50 off 36 but lacked support. Rahmanullah Gurbaz fell in the opening over to Mohammed Siraj, and the hosts never recovered. GT’s spinners then tightened the screws — Rashid Khan (2/25), Sai Kishore (1/19), and Washington Sundar (1/36) all struck at key intervals.
Post-match, Rahane acknowledged the Titans’ strong start. “I thought 199 was chaseable. We came back into the game well with the ball, but our batting let us down again. We’ve struggled to get solid starts, and that’s something we need to improve quickly,” he said.
He added, “The pitch was slow, but 200 was still gettable. It’s about being brave with the bat — you can’t think about getting out. We need to back ourselves, especially in the middle overs.”
Purple Cap holder Prasidh Krishna (2/25) and veteran Ishant Sharma (1/18) ensured KKR had no late surge, sealing another clinical win for the Titans.
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