It’s been a disastrous start for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League 2026 season, raising serious questions about whether they can still salvage their campaign. With just one point from five matches, the three-time champions are staring at one of their worst starts in IPL history. While KKR have endured rebuilding phases in the past, this season’s struggles feel deeper and more concerning.

A major issue has been their unsettled batting order. The lack of reliable spin-hitters and an overload of top-order specialists has disrupted team balance. This was evident in their recent outing at Chepauk, where Sunil Narine was pushed up to open, forcing Ajinkya Rahane into a role that exposed him to extended spells of spin—something that didn’t quite work in KKR’s favour.

Despite dealing with injuries in the bowling unit, it’s the batting that has let them down the most. Youngster Angkrish Raghuvanshi has shown promise, while Kartik Tyagi has impressed with the ball, but beyond that, positives have been hard to find. The Knight Riders now find themselves in a must-win situation to keep their playoff hopes alive.

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Things don’t get easier as they prepare to face the Gujarat Titans, a side gradually building momentum. With bowlers finding rhythm and Jos Buttler rediscovering form, GT look far more settled. However, their middle-order inconsistency remains a potential weakness KKR could target—if they can capitalise.

Conditions in Ahmedabad are expected to favour batting, much like the previous high-scoring game at the venue. Historically, GT hold a 3-1 edge, but KKR will draw confidence from their memorable 2023 win here, highlighted by Rinku Singh’s stunning five-sixes finish.

For KKR, the road ahead is tough—but not entirely without hope.

Gujarat Titans (GT)

There are no injury concerns in the Gujarat Titans camp, giving them the luxury of sticking to a settled combination ahead of their clash against the Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League 2026. One key tactical matchup to watch will be Rashid Khan against Rovman Powell. The Afghan leg-spinner has dominated this contest in T20s, dismissing Powell three times in just 36 balls while conceding only 26 runs. GT could look to hold back an over of Rashid specifically to counter Powell in the middle or death overs.

With KKR boasting a right-hand-heavy batting lineup, Gujarat may also consider adding a left-arm spin option like Manav Suthar or Sai Kishore, especially after Kolkata’s struggles against spin in their recent outing against Chennai Super Kings.

Probable XII: Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Jos Buttler (wk), Washington Sundar, Glenn Phillips, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Manav Suthar/Ashok Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)

KKR will be without Matheesha Pathirana, who remains unavailable due to travel delays. Their top-order combinations are also under scrutiny. Ajinkya Rahane and Sunil Narine both have underwhelming numbers against Mohammed Siraj, making their pairing at the top a risky call. KKR could look at changes, with Tim Seifert in contention to replace Finn Allen. However, despite growing pressure, Cameron Green is likely to retain his place for now.

Probable XII: Ajinkya Rahane (c), Sunil Narine, Tim Seifert (wk), Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Cameron Green, Rinku Singh, Rovman Powell, Ramandeep Singh, Anukul Roy, Vaibhav Arora, Kartik Tyagi, Varun Chakaravarthy