The 39th match of IPL 2025 promises high drama as Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) take on Gujarat Titans (GT) at Eden Gardens on April 21. KKR, currently placed sixth, has managed three wins from seven games. Despite a spirited effort in their last outing, they fell short by 16 runs against the Punjab Kings. Youngster Angkrish Raghuvanshi was a bright spot, scoring a composed 37 in a losing cause.
On the other hand, the Gujarat Titans are flying high with five victories from seven matches and sit atop the points table. They recently cruised to a seven-wicket win over Delhi Capitals, with Jos Buttler narrowly missing a century, smashing 97 to guide his team home.
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When it comes to head-to-head battles, the Titans have had the upper hand. Out of three encounters, GT have won two while KKR have claimed just one victory. Fans can expect a thrilling contest between two high-quality sides.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
Sunil Narine could once again prove to be Kolkata Knight Riders’ trump card as they gear up to face Gujarat Titans. The veteran spinner has dismissed Shubman Gill twice in just 12 balls while giving away only 13 runs, showcasing his dominance in this matchup. Narine has also been effective against Jos Buttler, conceding just 61 runs from 57 balls and dismissing him once. Considering Buttler’s dominant record against other KKR bowlers—especially Varun Chakaravarthy—Narine’s early spell will be vital in containing GT’s explosive top order.
Probable XII: Sunil Narine, Quinton de Kock(wk), Ajinkya Rahane(c), Venkatesh Iyer, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Anrich Nortje, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakaravarthy.
Gujarat Titans (GT)
Gujarat Titans, meanwhile, have been the best team against spin this season, boasting a league-leading average of 52.37 and a strike rate of 162.4. Their top three also have the highest cumulative average (49.72) of any team in IPL 2025. Jos Buttler, in particular, will be central to GT’s hopes, with astonishing strike rates of 190+ against Chakaravarthy, Nortje, and Russell, along with two IPL tons against KKR at Eden Gardens.
Probable XII: Shubman Gill(c), Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler(wk), Sherfane Rutherford, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Arshad Khan, Rashid Khan, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Ishant Sharma/Washington Sundar
Fantasy XI Suggestion 1:
Jos Buttler, Quinton de Kock, Sai Sudharsan (vc), Shubman Gill, Ajinkya Rahane, Sunil Narine (c), Andre Russell, Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna
Fantasy XI Suggestion 2:
Jos Buttler (c), Quinton de Kock, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill, Ajinkya Rahane (vc), Sherfane Rutherford, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna
