GT chase playoff berth, KKR pin hopes on Eden Gardens

Points: 16 points from 12 games = 2nd on table. Form: Won 4 of last 5. Coming off 7-wicket win vs MI. Equation: Win vs KKR = 18 points, virtually seals playoffs berth. Top-2 still possible. Key players: Shubman Gill 511 runs, Sai Sudharsan 510 runs, Rashid Khan 15 wickets, Prasidh Krishna leading wicket-taker. Recent news: GT lost Kagiso Rabada to CSA recall for WTC Final prep. Must rely on Mohit Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Prasidh pace attack. Their opponents, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), are also on the ascendancy in the second half, but their first half was so disastrous that their playoff chances now hang by a thread. KKR failed to register a win in their first six games, with their solitary point coming via a washout against Punjab Kings. That left them in near must-win territory for the rest of the season. To their credit, KKR responded with four straight wins, but a six-wicket defeat against Royal Challengers Bengaluru has thrown a spanner in their works. Overall: GT 3-1 KKR in 4 IPL meetings. Eden Gardens 2026: KKR won 2, lost 3 at home so far. Pitch: batting friendly, avg 1st innings 187. Tactical: GT’s spinners Rashid/Noor vs KKR middle order key. KKR bank on Narine-Varun duo to choke GT. A loss against GT will not mathematically rule them out of playoff contention but they will then have to depend on other results going their way. KKR have three games remaining, all at home after being on the road for close to a month. Whether that's a good thing or not, only time will tell. KKR have managed only one win in three completed games at home this season, though it was their win over Rajasthan Royals at Eden Gardens that kickstarted their run of four straight victories. For GT: Win = playoffs. Loss = need 1 win from last game vs CSK. Top-2 chance takes hit. For KKR: Win = keep hopes alive at 12 points. Loss = almost eliminated. Home run must start here. Bottom line: GT can book a playoff spot with a win and keep top-2 hopes alive. KKR’s season is on the line and they need to start a winning run at Eden Gardens to have any chance at 16 points. Head coach Abhishek Nayar had confirmed a "small hairline" on Varun Chakravarthy's toe during KKR's last game against RCB. While he trained and bowled in the nets on Friday, his availability will be known only on Saturday. If he doesn't recover in time, KKR could go with the same side as the RCB game. Matheesha Pathirana is fit and ready to go, but KKR haven't given him a chance yet. Will they play him in place of Rovman Powell? Meanwhile, Rachin Ravindra, who did not feature in any of the KKR games, has left the IPL to focus on New Zealand's upcoming Test tour of England. While it's been a while since any competitive cricket was played at Eden Gardens because of the state elections, runs and more runs are likely to be the theme on Saturday. The pitch on the eve of the contest looked flat from a distance and bereft of any grass. There was a heavy spell of rain on Friday evening but the temperature in Kolkata on match day is expected to hover around the lower to mid-30s on the Celcius scale.