KKR vs GT Playing 11 and Toss News, IPL 2026: Varun Chakaravarthy returns for Kolkata as Gujarat Titans win toss, opt to bowl first

The Kolkata Knight Riders received a significant boost ahead of their clash as skipper Ajinkya Rahane confirmed that ace spinner Varun Chakravarthy is fit and will be available for action on Saturday. Rahane also noted that the team had intended to bowl first, but emphasised that the focus remains on continuing to play good cricket, as they have demonstrated in recent matches.

Ravi Shastri brings out his classic flair during the toss, and it’s toss time! The Gujarat Titans have won the toss and have decided to bowl first. No changes announced by skipper Shubman Gill.

“We are gonna bowl first. There was a little bit of rain yesterday. We are hoping that it’ll get better in the second innings. Our bowling unit has been top-notch. The momentum is with us. This is not the time to take any team lightly. You get one extra match if you finish in the top-two,” the GT skipper said at the toss

I have enjoyed it a lot (getting a leadership role), and now I’m enjoying batting too. The mindset is to take the innings a little deeper, take the game further, and in the end like I do, I hit in the last two overs, so that is working well for me and also for the team. No, the preparation remains the same. I play at number five or six, so I prepare accordingly. And the only thing is that, however the match is going, I bat according to the match and take it deep. Whatever the time may be, whether it is a bad phase or a good phase, I play according to the demand of the match. There is no pressure. The mindset is only that we just have to win the match properly.

“It’s good, we’ve got a really good group. It speaks volumes of our group to how we started the season to how composed everyone’s been. So, really impressed with the support staff. They’ve been awesome. Yeah, I think that keeps it simple for us, right? We need to go three from three. We need to go last game as well to give ourselves an even better chance. So I guess it keeps it simple for us. We know we’ve got to always take the positive option in the games and do our best to try and get the wins,” Allen said.

We are just ten minutes away from the toss, and both teams would look to gain some advantage after having the ability to choose what to do first.

The latest image shared by the Kolkata Knight Riders shows some cloud coverage in Kolkata. While rain is not expected to happen during match hours, the IMD’s yellow alert makes the weather unpredictable.

“It’s match number 60 between the Kolkata Knight Riders and the Gujarat Titans. Let’s get straight into the dimensions. You can’t get much more central than this surface. 63 metres one way, 64 the other, and still just for these players, a chip down the ground at 73 metres. So, who else to get? Talk about this wicket, you played here a lot, Eoin Morgan. Finchy, good afternoon. Now, it’s worth mentioning that we’ve had a little bit of inclement weather in the last 48 hours here at this ground.

“But the ground staff and the curator have done an amazing job. If we take a look at the surface, there is a magnificent covering of grass, particularly once you get past these bowler’s footmarks, it won’t have anything really to play on the surface. I actually think there’s going to be a little bit in it for the seamers today, Finchy. And I say that because it’s a little bit cooler. There’s a bit of wind in the air. So a bit of swing and a bit of seam movement early. Still, the bounce should be consistent with that covering of grass. So, all said fair. I’d probably say a score in the region of 180, 190 would be a good score. But if sides get going, it’s always upwards of 200. Bat first or second? I would always chase. Wicket looks good. You want an advantage in knowing what you’re chasing,” Aaron Finch and Eoin Morgan said.

Titans’ strength has been the Knight Riders’ weakness as they haven’t been able to capitalise on powerplay overs. They have taken just ten wickets — the joint lowest in 10 innings — with the ball. While batting, they average 25.28, which is the second lowest in the first six overs this season, as per Cricbuzz.

The Gujarat Titans have displayed unmatched dominance in the powerplay overs, with openers Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan showcasing explosiveness and temperament to provide a productive start. For the Kolkata Knight Riders, bringing them down would be key to ensure a chokehold in the game.

“The powerplay has been a bit challenging for us this year, but we’re always looking to take wickets early so that it becomes easier for the spinners coming in to bowl in the middle overs. Sending Shubman [Gill] and Sai Sudarshan back to the pavilion in the powerplay will be a huge advantage for us,” Tyagi said.

According to ESPNcricinfo, “The pitch on the eve of the contest looked flat from a distance and bereft of any grass.” Expect it to be a batter’s paradise, with the spin bowlers also receiving some assistance in the middle overs of the match.

A win over the Gujarat Titans would be crucial for KKR as their playoff hopes are hanging by a thread following their disastrous start. A loss tonight would not rule them out mathematically, but they will then have to depend on other results going their way.

The Gujarat Titans require one more victory to secure their spot in the IPL 2026 playoffs. The team’s consistency and balance helped them secure a five-match win streak, and they would be gunning for their sixth consecutive victory tonight.

GT are currently second with 16 points — same as RCB — in the standings. But the defending champions’ better NRR have kept them at the top.

Head coach Abhishek Nayar confirmed that Varun Chakravarthy sustained a “small hairline” injury on his toe during KKR’s last game against RCB.

The spinner trained and bowled in the nets on Friday, but his availability for the upcoming match will only be determined on Saturday. KKR are likely to field the same XI that featured against RCB, should he fail to recover in time.

Kolkata Knight Riders Probable Playing XI: Ajinkya Rahane (c), Finn Allen, Cameron Green, Angkrish Raghuvanshi (wk), Rovman Powell, Manish Pandey, Rinku Singh, Sunil Narine, Anukul Roy, Vaibhav Arora, Kartik Tyagi.

Varun Chakaravarthy: Impact Player

Gujarat Titans Probable Playing XI: Shubman Gill (c), Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler (wk), Washington Sundar, Jason Holder, Nishant Sindhu, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Arshad Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj.

Prasidh Krishna: Impact Player

In another significant development, Rachin Ravindra has exited the Kolkata Knight Riders camp. The New Zealand all-rounder did not play a single match and has now headed back to train for the Blackcaps’ upcoming Test series against England.

Matheesha Pathirana has been warming the bench ever since he joined the camp. The Sri Lankan pacer has been training in full tilt but is still waiting for his chance to compete in the season. Additionally, to implement Pathirana, they have to replace him with Rovman Powell, and it looks rather unlikely as they may not make changes to it’s XI.

The IMD has issued a yellow alert for West Bengal, including its capital Kolkata. But the conditions during match hours are expected to be clear. As per Accuweather, there is no major rain threat during the KKR-GT match in Kolkata. The cloud cover would remain at 40%.

There was heavy rain on Friday evening, but the temperature on match day is expected to hover around or below 30 degree celsius.

The Kolkata Knight Riders vs Gujarat Titans IPL 2026 match would be telecast live on the Star Sports Network. The live streaming of the action would be made available on JioHotstar with an active subscription.

The Kolkata Knight Riders vs Gujarat Titans IPL 2026 match will start at 07:30 PM IST. The toss would take half-an-hour before the match (07:00 PM IST)

The Kolkata Knight Riders vs Gujarat Titans IPL 2026 fixture takes place at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

Welcome to the live toss coverage for the upcoming Kolkata Knight Riders vs Gujarat Titans IPL 2026  fixture. Keep an eye for all the toss-related updates.