After winning 5 games in a row and on a high, the Gujarat Titans (GT) were given a reality check as they suffered a surprising 29-run loss to the home side Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Eden Gardens, in Kolkata. The Knights kept their slim hopes for a playoff spot alive with this win through an explosive performance with the bat in hand, as GT had a rare off day in the field with the ball in hand and loads of dropped catches. We will try to uncover the reasons for GT’s surprising loss to KKR.
Inability to dismiss Finn Allen owing to dropped catches came back to haunt GT.Â
KKR were asked to bat first by GT captain Shubman Gill. Finn Allen came out all guns blazing and tore apart the GT bowlers. While captain Ajinkya Rahane fell cheaply, Allen was in a different mood altogether on a placid track in Kolkata. But GT had their chances of getting rid of Allen, but once again, dropped catches came back to haunt them. That has been the theme of this IPL: dropped catches and those proving so costly.
Allen, when starting the innings, was dropped by Jason Holder at short covers, but that was a difficult chance. But the main turning point came when Allen, batting on 33* just after Rahane got out, miscued the ball down to Mohammed Siraj at long-on, and the speedster dropped a sitter. Allen got another life, and after this, he became more dangerous. Good players will not give you so many chances, and Allen gave two, and both were grasped. He took on the bowling and tore them apart in a whirlwind knock.
He was unlucky to miss out on a ton as he fell for 93 in the 12th over, but the damage he did was more than enough and laid the platform for the huge total. The dropped catch from Siraj costs GT 60 extra runs. The margin of defeat was 29 runs in the end. So, this dropped catch was the real difference maker. Catches win matches, and even later, Raghuvanshi was dropped by Washington Sundar. KKR made GT pay for their sloppy fielding.
Going forward, the aim for GT will be to tighten up on this department and take the chances. Bowling will do its job, yes, it had an off-day, but fielding cannot have an off-day or else it can cost you. This is an area GT will look at to come back stronger in their remaining league game against CSK in Ahmedabad.
An unfortunate injury to Sai Sudharsan in the 3rd over led to a crucial loss of momentum in the batting innings.Â
Sai Sudharsan came out all guns blazing in the chase alongside Shubman Gill in the massive 248-run chase. Gill was getting less of the strike and went to run a ball through the power play. But it was Sudharsan who was the aggressor as he scored a quick 20-odd and took the team score to 42 in 3 overs before he was hit on the unprotected back elbow, and he was in real pain. So much so that he had to go off the field, retired hurt. That led to a loss of momentum in the innings.
Nishant Sindhu came in at the retirement of Sai and struggled out there and got out for 1 off 4 balls. Then came Jos Buttler as GT managed 56/1 in 6 overs of power play. Gill and Buttler too struggled to get going in this massive chase and later picked up to give KKR a scare. But the required rate was so high, and Gill and Buttler should have accelerated from the start. But they got their eyes in and then accelerated. Had Sai stayed and not got retired hurt, who knows, things could have been different.
It was a massive chase, but the intent at one point in time was to play and get close to the target rather than overtake it. Yes, Gill was great for his 85, Buttler played well, and so did Sai for their fifties, but this target was just a bit too far. But in the coming games, they would like to fight back and approach such a chase differently to get closer, if not overtake the target.
A rare off-day for the GT bowlers, especially Rashid Khan, proved to be their major downfall.Â
GT elected to bowl first, hoping their pace bowlers fire in Kolkata. But it was the total opposite. It was a rare off day for the GT bowlers. The pitch turned out to be placid, and the bowling was brutally exposed in this particular clash. Notwithstanding the catching that was awful, the bowling also left a lot to be desired. Mohammed Siraj went for 50 in 4 overs despite picking up a wicket. But the biggest surprise came later on.
Rashid Khan was in red-hot form coming into this match with wickets behind him. He picked up 4 wickets against RR in one of the previous games and looked to be back to his best. But last night in Kolkata, he was taken down. He went for 57 in his 4 overs as Finn Allen in particular tore him apart. Raghuvanshi did his bit, and Cameron Green took advantage of it. But Rashid just did not have proper planning and went for plenty of runs. He conceded over 50 runs, which is rare.
Rashid will want to put this game behind him as quickly as possible, and he has the experience in doing that. He will want to roar back and come back to his best in their last remaining league game against CSK on May 21st in Ahmedabad. The bowling as a whole failed as they managed to pick up just 2 wickets in the whole 20 overs and conceded close to 250 runs. They will have to pull up their socks and come back stronger.
What Lies Ahead.Â
So, the Gujarat Titans, with this loss, fail to secure their spot in the playoffs in official terms. They still are likely to reach that phase. They have one remaining game against CSK on May 21st in Ahmedabad. KKR has two games left and has kept its slim hopes alive. KKR next faces MI on May 20th at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Two games are coming our way on Super Sunday. First up, it’s PBKS in a must-win clash against RCB, who will go through to the playoffs officially with the win. This will be followed by DC vs RR in New Delhi, where DC have their slim hopes alive while RR have good chances at this stage.
The race to the playoffs is heating up as we enter the last 10 matches and the week of IPL 2026.
Also Read: KKR vs GT: Finn Allen’s Fiery Assault Stuns GT To Keep Playoff Hopes Alive