The defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders will welcome table toppers Gujarat Titans in the 39th match of the Indian Premier League 2025 at the Eden Gardens later today.
The two teams come into this fixture on the back of contrasting results in their previous games.
The hosts suffered a demoralising 16-run defeat against Punjab Kings (PBKS), in Mullanpur, as they failed to chase a modest total of 112.
In the other corner, GT are flying high with confidence after they registered a comprehensive win against the Delhi Capitals, chasing 204 with 7 wickets to spare.
Let’s take a look at the Top 6 players in today’s match between KKR and GT.
Kolkata Knight Riders
Ajinkya Rahane (KKR)
KKR’s skipper Ajinkya Rahane has been one the team’s bright spots in this tumultuous IPL season so far. His record at Eden Gardens has been good, having accumulated 413 runs in 18 innings in Kolkata, at an average of 24.29 and a strike rate of 134.09, which includes three fifties.
However, he’s had a less than ideal time facing spinners in IPL 2025, against whom he averages 18 with a strike rate of 116.12.
Eden Gardens’s spin-friendly surface could pose problems for Rahane, especially against GT’s Rashid Khan and Sai Kishore, each of whom has dismissed the KKR captain once.
Additionally, GT’s pacers have troubled Rahane in the past, with Ishant Sharma dismissing him twice while Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj have each gotten him out once.
Rahane’s last five scores are 17, 20 not out, 61, 38, and 11.
Venkatesh Iyer (KKR)
The stylish southpaw is playing lower down the order this year for KKR. He has scored 497 runs in 20 innings at Eden Gardens, at an average of 29.23 with a strike rate of 147.04. He also has two 50+ scores at the iconic venue.
In this year’s IPL, Venkatesh Iyer has been dismissed twice by spinners but maintains an aggressive strike rate of 147.05, doing fairly well against Rashid Khan. GT’s Prasidh Krishna and Ishant Sharma have been effective this season, and since Iyer bats in the middle order, he will need to handle these bowlers carefully to neutralise their threat.
Iyer’s previous five scores are 7, 45, 60, 3, and 6.
Varun Chakravarthy (KKR)
KKR’s mystery spinner has taken 28 wickets in 19 innings at Eden Gardens at an average of 22.46 and a strike rate of 15.57, including a four-wicket haul at this venue. He will be the home side’s biggest spin weapon and has been in great form this season.
In IPL 2025, all of Varun’s 10 wickets have been right-handed batters, which will come useful while tackling GT’s RHB-heavy top order.
Although he has not dismissed Shubman Gill or Sai Sudharsan in limited encounters, the Indian spinner has got the better of Jos Buttler five times in 49 balls.
His last five bowling figures are 2/21, 2/22, 0/31, 3/22, and 0/12.
Gujarat Titans
Jos Buttler (GT)
Jos Buttler has scored 380 runs in seven innings in Kolkata, boasting an average of 63.33 and a strike rate of 165.93, with two fifties and a century at this venue.
In this year’s IPL, he has enjoyed success against spinners, averaging 43.33 with an aggressive strike rate of 164.55.
However, he will come up against KKR’s Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine, who have dismissed him in the past. Varun has got him on five occasions while Narine has dismissed him thrice in 86 deliveries.
The English wicketkeeping batsman has done well against KKR’s pacers, however, which is anyway not the home side’s strength.
His previous five scores are 97 not out, 16, 36, 0, and 73 not out.
Prasidh Krishna (GT)
The lanky Indian pacer does not have a great record at the Eden Gardens. Prasidh Krishna has 9 wickets in 13 outings at this venue, with an average of 50.77 and a strike rate of 31.88.
However, he has been very successful against left-handed batsmen in IPL 2025, dismissing one every 5.66 deliveries.
This is great news for GT as KKR’s lineup boasts a number of LHBs, which could make for an interesting contest for Krishna.
His favourite variation delivery is the slower ball, which he has put to effective use in IPL 2025. The Eden Gardens pitch promises to offer grip for the bowlers, so Krishna could be a threat against the explosive KKR batters with his off-pace deliveries.
His last five bowling figures are 4/41, 2/26, 3/24, 2/25, and 1/26.
Sai Sudharsan (GT)
The ever impressive Sai Sudharsan is expected to continue his good run in Eden Gardens’s batting-friendly conditions. The GT opener is an excellent candidate against slow bowlers, boasting a strike rate of 175 against spinners.
The Tamil Nadu batsman has a good record against the KKR bowlers and has the ability to bat long. He will be eyeing a big innings in tonight’s contest.
His last five scores are 36, 56, 82, 5, and 49.
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