KKR vs GT Highlights, IPL 2025: Gujarat Titans crush Kolkata Knight Riders by 39 runs, consolidate top spot

KKR skipper, Ajinkya Rahane, is in at number 3.

Mohammed Siraj to Rahmanullah Gurbaz, OUT! LBW! A huge shout for LBW and up goes the finger! Rahmanullah Gurbaz has a chat with Sunil Narine and takes the review. Coming to the delivery, this is bowled just full of a good length and on off, Siraj gets it to slant back in. Gurbaz plays all over it and the ball beats the inside edge to crash into the pads. No bat involved and Ball Tracking comes up with three reds, absolutely plumb and Gurbaz's comeback is short-lived as he departs for just one.

Mohammed Siraj to Sunil Narine, Full and following the batter down leg and gets it to shape back into the pads. Narine doesn't get a bat on it and the ball goes off the pads to square leg for a leg bye.

Mohammed Siraj to Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Gurbaz and KKR are off the mark! Short of a good length and outside off, pushed away from the crease and past cover-point for a single.

Mohammed Siraj to Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Oh, nearly back onto the stumps! Siraj pulls the length back and hits the deck hard around off, Gurbaz gives the charge and looks to swing across the line but gets an under edge and the ball misses the leg stump by a whisker. 

Mohammed Siraj to Rahmanullah Gurbaz, On the money! Good length in the channel, a hint of away movement as well. Rahmanullah Gurbaz makes a well-watched leave.

Welcome back to KKR's reply with the bat. The official IPL pet 'CHAMPAK' is ready to lead the way for the umpires and the players. Gujarat Titans form a last-minute team huddle before they scatter through the park to take their fielding positions. A fresh opening pair for KKR walks out to the middle. It is Sunil Narine, accompanied by Rahmanullah Gurbaz. As usual, the new ball is handed over to Mohammed Siraj. The on-field umpire signals for the impact sub as Gujarat Titans have roped in Ishant Sharma in place of Sherfane Rutherford. Siraj to Gurbaz first up. Here we go...

... THE RUN CHASE ...

For Kolkata Knight Riders, it was a challenging first innings with the ball. While they didn’t bowl that poorly, their fielding let them down badly. A couple of misfields, lazy efforts, and a crucial dropped catch by Vaibhav Arora, that of Buttler, proved costly in the death overs. Despite all that, KKR managed to restrict Gujarat just under 200, which might be a small morale win heading into the chase. Now the big question - can KKR chase this down a target of 199? Their batting has been under the scanner, especially after the last inning against Punjab Kings and with in-form bowlers like Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, and Arshad Khan waiting to make early inroads, it won’t be easy. Stay tuned, as the action of the second inning is just around the corner!

Sai Sudharsan of GT is down for a chat. He starts by saying that the wicket was slow to begin with, and they found it difficult in the Powerplay, after which they tried to take the game deep. Mentions that he enjoys the company of Shubman Gill and the experience he brings with him. Adds that they knew the wicket was difficult to bat on and the main conversation was regarding keeping wickets in hand. Ends by saying that the batters have given a great total to the bowlers to defend.

At the other end, Shubman Gill looked in complete control, anchoring the innings with some eye-pleasing strokes. His knock of 90 off just 55 balls was filled with timing, placement, and elegance, and he kept one end secure till the final phase. Gill and Buttler together added 50 runs quickly, showing once again how deadly this GT top-order can be when in form. Buttler stayed till the end and ensured GT finished strong, pushing them beyond the 195-mark, which is more than competitive on this pitch. Not sending Sherfane Rutherford after Gill raised a bit of eyebrows but the team management probably wanted to give a game time to Rahul Tewatia and Shahrukh Khan.

They began cautiously, putting up 45 runs in the Powerplay, but the real acceleration came after that. Their partnership was built on smart rotation of strike, quick singles, well-run twos, and the occasional boundary to release pressure. The KKR bowlers were left searching for answers, and the fielders looked visibly frustrated as they just couldn’t break the stand. Sai Sudharsan played a fluent knock of 52 off 36 balls before finally falling, but by then, the damage was already done. In walked Jos Buttler, and he wasted no time picking up from where he left off in the last game against Delhi Capitals. A couple of early boundaries set the tone for his innings. 

Gujarat Titans have put on a batting show in Kolkata, posting a massive total of 198/3 and walking back to the dressing room with all the momentum on their side. It was an authoritative display from their top order, who dominated the innings with smart cricket and clean hitting. The opening partnership between Sai Sudharsan and Shubman Gill was nothing short of a batting masterclass, as the duo stitched together a superb 114-run stand, both bringing up classy half-centuries.

Vaibhav Arora to Shahrukh Khan, A run out appeal, sent upstairs by the on-field umpire. Arora gets the yorker right in this time, outside off, Shahrukh Khan squeezes it out and hits it to the left of the cover fielder. Ajinkya Rahane half-stops it and parries it behind, and runs after it as the batters hustle for the second. The throw is at the bowler's end, as Buttler puts on his afterburners to get home safely. Vaibhav collects the ball on the bounce and breaks the stumps, but only after Buttler drags his bat in the crease, safely. Two runs from the last ball and 18 off the last over. The replays, too, confirm the same. Gujarat Titans remain two runs shy of the 200-run mark.

Vaibhav Arora to Shahrukh Khan, SIX! A freebie, and Shahrukh says, Thank you very much! Another full toss, outside off, Shahrukh Khan stays back and picks the bones out of it. He sails it over deep mid-wicket for a cracking six.

Vaibhav Arora to Jos Buttler, Full toss, outside off, jabbed away to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Vaibhav Arora to Jos Buttler, FOUR! Back-to-back boundaries for Buttler, and he moves to his 40s! Too full again from Vaibhav, outside off, Jos Buttler crouches a bit and shovels it through point, beating Ajinkya Rahane to his left on the dive. Rahane does get some fingertips on it, but the ball races away to the fence.

Vaibhav Arora to Jos Buttler, FOUR! Wow, that is a shot and a half! Vaibhav Arora is not too pleased with the position of Harshit Rana at deep backward point. Misses his yorker, by just a margin, outside off, Jos Buttler squeezes it through backward point and beats Rana's slide to his right for a boundary. 

Vaibhav Arora to Shahrukh Khan, A yorker, outside off, Shahrukh Khan carves it out between cover and mid off for a single.

Who will bowl the final over? Will it be Vaibhav Arora or will it be Andre Russell? It will be Vaibhav!

Harshit Rana to Shahrukh Khan, Speared in a low full toss, on middle, tailing a bit in, Shahrukh Khan drills it down to long on for just a single. An excellent over from Harshit Rana. Just 8 from the penultimate over. Kolkata Knight Riders pressing in just at the right time. Rana finishes off his spell with 4-0-45-1.

Harshit Rana to Jos Buttler, Pitched way outside off, just inside the tramline, full in length, Jos Buttler shuffles well across off and drags it with a slog sweep to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Harshit Rana to Shahrukh Khan, Fuller and around off, Shahrukh Khan drags it wide of mid on for a single.

Shahrukh Khan is in at number 5. Still, no Sherfane Rutherford.

Harshit Rana to Rahul Tewatia, OUT! HIGH UP IN THE AIR AND TAKEN! A short stay for Rahul Tewatia in the middle comes to an end. Harshit bowls it fuller and just outside off, angling in from around the stumps. Rahul Tewatia skips down the track and looks to go inside out over deep cover, but gets no proper timing on it. The bat twists a bit at the point of contact and the ball is sliced up in the air, towards deep cover. Ramandeep Singh, stationed in the deep, takes it with absolute comfort. He is not dropping those dollies at all. GT are 177/3 now.

Harshit Rana to Jos Buttler, A yorker gone right, outside off, Jos Buttler jams it out to point and runs a quick single.

Harshit Rana to Jos Buttler, FOUR! Starts off with a boundary! A low full toss, around off, Jos Buttler charges down the track and smashes to the left mid off for a boundary.

Harshit Rana is back in to bowl the penultimate over of the innings. He's gone for 37 in his 3 overs so far.

Vaibhav Arora to Rahul Tewatia, Hurled fuller, on off, Tewatia, with a straight bat face, pushes it back to the bowler. Vaibhav bends low to his left and stops it on his follow-through.

Rahul Tewatia walks out to bat now.

Is that out? Rinku Singh claims the catch but Shubman Gill being on 90 just wants it to be checked. The onfield umpires have a chat with the third umpire and it is given OUT.

Vaibhav Arora to Shubman Gill, OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! CAUGHT! Gill perishes while playing his signature shot! A full toss, there to be put away, onto the bodyline from Arora, Shubman Gill weighs on the back foot and short-arm jabs at it. However, he does not get the desired timing on that one and hits it flat, getting neither elevation nor the distance. Rinku Singh at deep mid-wicket dives forward as the ball dips on him. He scoops it before the grass. However, the third umpire is brought in to check the legality of the catch. But eventually, it is deemed a clean catch. Gill departs for a brilliant 90 (55). GT are 172/2.

Vaibhav Arora to Shubman Gill, FOUR! Touch of class! Seam-up, full and around off, with a little tail back in, Shubman Gill goes deep in the crease, prods forward and carves it through backward point for a cracking boundary.

Vaibhav Arora to Shubman Gill, SIX! No half measures! Back of a length, just around off, Shubman Gill swivels and pulls it comfortably over deep square leg for a huge six. This also brings up the 50-run stand between these two.

Vaibhav Arora to Shubman Gill, An attempted yorker, on off, jammed back to the bowler.

Vaibhav Arora to Shubman Gill, At 133.2 kph, Vaibhav bowls a full toss, outside off, Shubman Gill tries the switch hit, but misses. 

Vaibhav Arora (2-0-16-0) is back on.

Sunil Narine to Shubman Gill, Flat and quick on middle, on a length, Shubman Gill waits back and nudges it across to deep mid-wicket for another single. 11 runs off Narine's last over. He finishes with figures of 4-0-36-0.

Sunil Narine to Jos Buttler, A bit quicker at 93.9 kph, dragged length, on middle, Jos Buttler powers it away to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Sunil Narine to Jos Buttler, At 92 kph, on a length, with a hint of turn into the batter, on middle and leg, Jos Buttler tries to work across, but wears on the thigh pad.

Sunil Narine to Shubman Gill, Quick tap and run now! Length ball, turning into the pads, Shubman Gill tucks it with soft hands to mid-wicket for a single.

Sunil Narine to Shubman Gill, SIX! Sheer dominance! Landed into the slot, too full and on middle and leg, Shubman Gill sits on his knee, and slogs it with ease, and clears deep mid-wicket for a six.

Sunil Narine to Shubman Gill, Just outside off, on a good length, Shubman Gill punches it off the back foot through cover for another couple of runs.

Varun Chakaravarthy to Shubman Gill, On off, on a length, Gill hits it between cover and point for a quick single. A wayward throw to the keeper allows Buttler to get home safely.

Varun Chakaravarthy to Shubman Gill, FOUR! Into the gap! On the shorter side, on middle and leg, Shubman Gill hangs back and short-arm jabs it between long on and deep mid-wicket. Moeen Ali does the hard yards to his right from long on, slides, but the ball beats him and runs into the fence.

Varun Chakaravarthy to Shubman Gill, FOUR! SMASHED! Too full, and outside off, Gill gets his bat right under it and lofts it over mid off for a cracking boundary.

Varun Chakaravarthy to Jos Buttler, Around off, pushed to cover for a single.

Varun Chakaravarthy to Jos Buttler, 'CATCH IT' is the call, but Manish Pandey cannot get there in time. It will be counted as a dropped catch, but a good effort from a gun fielder. Fuller and around off, Buttler prods forward and mistimes it over mid off. Manish Pandey from long off comes running across to his left and puts in a dive, but shells the ball with the falling momentum. Two taken.

Varun Chakaravarthy to Jos Buttler, Bangs short, outside off, Buttler cuts it to Dre Russ at point.

STRATEGIC BREAK! It has been a one-way traffic so far where the batters of the Gujarat Titans batted beautifully on this track, which isn't completely flat, and they have done it with excellent running between the wickets with timely boundaries. It is looking ominous for Kolkata Knight Riders as their bowlers have failed to pick wickets, and to make it worse, Vaibhav Arora has put down a catch just in the last over. Jos Buttler has come out on a mission as he is looking to blaze the ball over the ropes only, and now that he has got a life, how much he will make off it. Let's see how it goes in the final overs of the first inning and how much GT will post from here. With that, Varun Chakaravarthy will bowl out here.