Bravo lauds KKR bowlers for keeping Gujarat Titans under 200 but admits batting unit fell short during chase at Eden Gardens
New Delhi | April 22:
Following Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) 39-run defeat to Gujarat Titans (GT) in the IPL 2025 clash at Eden Gardens, team mentor Dwayne Bravo praised his bowling unit for a disciplined performance but conceded that the team “didn’t score enough runs” to stay in the contest.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Bravo said,
“Obviously, we didn’t score enough runs. I think the bowlers did a fantastic job restricting them under 200. Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan batted very well, but credit to our bowling group — they pulled it back and gave us a chance.”
Bravo acknowledged that KKR were optimistic at the halfway mark, having limited GT to 198/3, but admitted their batting lacked intent, especially during the powerplay.
“We were the happier side at the break, but unfortunately, we didn’t get the start we needed. That slowed us down in the middle and we faltered in the end,” he said.
⚖️ Strategic Talk: Left-Right Batting Combo
Bravo also shed light on the team’s tactical call to shuffle the batting order and deploy left-right combinations to counter GT’s quality spin attack.
“We’re lucky to have quality left- and right-handers at the top. With opposition spinners like Rashid Khan and Sai Kishore, the idea was to disrupt their rhythm. But unfortunately, we couldn’t execute it well enough.”
📉 KKR Slip in Points Table
In a must-win encounter for both sides, Gujarat Titans rode on a 90-run knock from Shubman Gill, a composed 52 from Sai Sudharsan, and a blazing 41 from Jos Buttler* to post a formidable total.
KKR’s chase never took off, despite a gritty half-century from captain Ajinkya Rahane (50 off 36). Key middle-order players like Venkatesh Iyer, Andre Russell, and Rinku Singh failed to capitalize. KKR ended on 159/8, suffering their fifth defeat in eight matches.
Gujarat Titans, with this dominant performance, cemented their spot at the top of the points table with 12 points from eight games, while KKR slipped to seventh with just 6 points.
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KKR vs GT, Dwayne Bravo, IPL 2025, Shubman Gill, Rashid Khan, Ajinkya Rahane, Eden Gardens, Gujarat Titans win, Kolkata Knight Riders loss, post-match press conference, cricket news