Pujara Calls for 90+ Runs From Top Batsmen as KKR Struggles
New Delhi [India], April 22 (ANI): Veteran player Cheteshwar Pujara commented on the disappointing batting display of the defending champions, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), against Gujarat Titans (GT) in their IPL 2025 match held at Eden Gardens on Monday.
In the lucrative league game versus the team captained by Shubman Gill, the Knight Riders fielded nine batsmen but failed to reach the target score of 199 runs even when playing at their home stadium. Their top performer in this contest was Captain Ajinkya Rahane, scoring 50 runs off 36 deliveries, including five fours and one six.
Even after sending out nine batsmen in this crucial match against the Gujarat team led by Shubman Gill, the reigning champions KKR were unable to reach the target score of 199 runs at their own venue. The top performer for them was captain Ajinkya Rahane, scoring 50 runs from 36 deliveries, with five fours and one six.
Regarding KKR's subpar batting display, Cheteshwar Pujara stated during his conversation with ESPNcricinfo’s Time Out, “The wicket wasn’t one where you could afford to let go of numerous scoring opportunities. It also wasn’t a completely batsman-friendly surface; hence getting 60-70 runs off the final five overs would not have been easy. The bowlers seemed to struggle in their opening spell as evident from the amount of spin available. Ideally, they needed something closer to 180 for them to defend. If your run rate drops below ten per over towards the end of the match, catching up becomes very difficult. In those critical initial ten overs, aiming near 90 runs might have put them in contention.”
At the start of the game, KKR secured victory in the coin toss and decided to field first.
An impressive 114-run partnership between Sudharsan (scoring 52 off 36 deliveries, featuring six boundaries and one maximum) and Gill, who accumulated 90 runs from 55 balls including 10 fours and three sixes, laid down a strong base for an ambitious total. Subsequently, a 58-run collaboration between Gill and Jos Buttler (notching up 41*, hitting eight fours in just 23 balls) propelled Gujarat Titans to a competitive score of 198/3 after their allotted 20 overs.
Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakravarthy, and Andre Russell took one wicket each for KKR.
In the chase, KKR managed little resistance apart from their captain Ajinkya Rahane (50 runs off 36 balls, including five boundaries and one maximum). Excellent bowling performances from Prasidh Krishna (2 wickets for 25 runs) and Rashid Khan (2 wickets for 25 runs) bowled them out for 159/8 after 20 overs.
Gill received the 'Player of the Match' award for scoring 90 runs.
KKR has dropped to the seventh position with three victories and their fifth defeat, whereas GT retained their dominance at the top with six wins and two losses, earning them 12 points. (ANI)