IPL Pulse: Close shaves and power cuts

KKR were bowled out for 180 and lost again; they are still winless after six games.

Rahane fell first ball, but Cameron Green counterpunched with 79 off 55 to give the innings some fight. From 147/4, KKR had a base but finishing issues with Rinku Singh and Ramandeep Singh hurt them.

Kagiso Rabada and Mohammed Siraj set it up early with three-over opening spells and shared five wickets between them.

Shubman Gill looked a million dollars in his 50-ball 86, carving through a packed offside field.

Ajinkya Rahane chose to bat first, wanting his batters to "play freely". The call was also data-backed, with the venue tending to reward big totals, though it has been unforgiving to middling scores like the 180 KKR eventually managed. It came down to how KKR batted against Siraj and Rabada, both of whom exploited seam movement to reduce them to 37/3, sharing three Powerplay wickets while inducing a season-high 48.6% false shots.

While Cameron Green impressed with 79 and a sharp catch to dismiss Shubman Gill, his absence with the ball left KKR short while defending a below-par total. The all-rounder did not bowl at all. "He was actually struggling with his cramps. That's the reason he was in and out on the field as well. So that's the reason he didn't bowl," captain Ajinkya Rahane said at the post-match presentation.

Rahane only wants to "talk positives" and credited his bowlers for taking the defence to the last over. He felt half-volleys with the new ball were coming on nicely and hard lengths were holding up, and hinted that his bowlers were too full in the Powerplay. "Sai Sudharsan and Shubman Gill batted beautifully. Powerplay was important, but I just want to talk about the positives about our bowlers."

Gill doesn't think "it matters" that he's batting like 2023 and was "quite disappointed with the way I got out". He revealed that in the two months before this, when he wasn't playing the World Cup, he worked on his fitness and mental aspect, "not just technically, but tactically as well".

Stephen Fleming felt that CSK can "cover for Ruturaj for a few games" and hope he comes into form, given the "quality player" he is. He also said "we talk about everything" when asked if Mhatre is an opening option.

No wins in seven games is KKR's second-longest winless streak, behind the nine-match slide in IPL 2009.

What's next?

In the afternoon, RCB host DC at home. In the evening, SRH host CSK as both teams look to get consistent after early jitters.