Rahane Commends Gill and Sudharsan's Performance in KKR vs GT Clash
Rahane Commends Gill and Sudharsan's Performance
Ajinkya Rahane, the captain of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), expressed admiration for the batting skills of Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan from Gujarat Titans (GT). He noted their ability to adapt to the conditions, even with a slightly sluggish pitch and dew affecting play in Ahmedabad on Friday.
Gill's impressive half-century was pivotal in GT's five-wicket win over KKR. He scored a remarkable 86 runs off 50 deliveries at the Narendra Modi Stadium, further enhancing his strong performance record in Ahmedabad. His innings included eight boundaries and four sixes, leading his team to chase down a target of 181 in just 19.4 overs. Sudharsan also contributed significantly with a quick 22 runs, setting a solid foundation during the power-play.
Rahane acknowledged that while 180 runs was a challenging target, KKR's failure to secure early wickets during the power-play was detrimental. He emphasized that there were no excuses for the defeat, stating, "I thought he batted really well [Shubman Gill]. I initially felt slightly back of length, the ball was slightly holding, anything up front, half-volleys were coming nicely, slightly dew as well. But again, no excuse, as I said, 180, we needed wickets in the powerplay, they batted beautifully. Sai Sudharsan and Shubman Gill batted beautifully."
Green's Counter-Attack Provides Hope
Reflecting on the loss, Rahane chose to highlight the positives, particularly praising Cameron Green's aggressive innings under pressure. He remarked, "It's never easy after immediately losing the game, and come and talk about the game. I thought I just wanted to talk about the positives, especially the way we started two-three wickets down. In Cameron Green's innings, he was under pressure, but the kind of counter-attack he did had a positive impact. What he made was amazing to see, going after their bowlers. As you mentioned some time back, 147 for four, and from there, around 180 was slightly difficult from a batting unit, but credit to all our bowlers, the way they bowled, taking the game till the last over. Everyone contributed well."
Green's first half-century in IPL 2026 helped KKR reach a total of 180 against GT, scoring 79 runs off 55 balls. This performance marked his second-highest score in IPL history, following his 100* (47) for MI against SRH in 2023.
GT Advances to Fourth Place; KKR Still Seeking Victory
With this victory, GT has secured their third consecutive win in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL), following previous victories against Delhi Capitals (DC) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). They now hold 6 points from 5 matches, climbing to fourth place in the points table. Meanwhile, KKR remains winless in IPL 2026, with just one point, placing them at the bottom of the standings.