
Run it back: Liberty sign 'Big 3' to long-term deals
Liberty secure long-term deals for Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, and Sabrina Ionescu.
Kolkata Knight Riders made a significant change by bringing in Tim Seifert for Finn Allen and elected to bat first against Gujarat Titans in a must-win IPL 2026 match. KKR, having lost their first four games, aims to reset their approach under skipper Ajinkya Rahane.
Mentioned in this story
NEW DELHI: Winless and under mounting pressure, Kolkata Knight Riders made a bold call at the toss, bringing in Tim Seifert for Finn Allen as they elected to bat first against Gujarat Titans in their Indian Premier League match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Friday.
With four defeats to start their IPL 2026 campaign, KKR are desperate to turn things around, and skipper Ajinkya Rahane made it clear that the team is looking to reset its approach.
IPL 2026: GT vs KKR Live Score
The biggest talking point ahead of the game was KKRās change at the top, with Seifert replacing Allen in the playing XI. The move signals a shift in strategy as the franchise looks for a spark in their faltering batting unit.
āJust one change. Tim Seifert comes in place of Finn Allen,ā Rahane confirmed at the toss, underlining the importance of fresh energy in a struggling lineup.
KKR have tried multiple combinations in both batting first and chasing scenarios this season, but results have not followed. The inclusion of Seifert is seen as an attempt to stabilise the top order while adding experience and composure.
Rahane explained the decision to bat first, emphasising freedom and intent as the core philosophy.
āWe just want our batters to play freely, with freedom. The kind of tournament weāve had so far, weāve tried everything. I thought giving that freedom to the batters and then defending the total would be a good approach,ā he said.
He also stressed the importance of mindset over data. āSometimes you donāt have to depend too much on stats. Itās about what you feel as a team. We just want to turn it around.ā
Backing his players despite the poor run, Rahane added, āItās about staying confident, backing each other in tough times. We have good characters. T20 is about momentum ā winning small moments. Today, we just want to play fearless cricket.ā
KKR brought in Tim Seifert for Finn Allen to shake up their struggling lineup after losing their first four matches in IPL 2026.
Before the match, KKR was winless with four consecutive defeats in IPL 2026, putting them under significant pressure.
Ajinkya Rahane indicated that KKR is looking to reset their approach in the must-win clash against Gujarat Titans.

Liberty secure long-term deals for Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, and Sabrina Ionescu.
Meet the 32 future stars who could define the 2027 NFL Draft!
Oregon Ducks land prediction for 4-star linebacker Brayton Feister!
Oklahoma City Thunder: Avoiding the 'disease of me' in Title Defense
LA Knight opens up about managing his anger and frustration in his wrestling career. He discusses the impact of these emotions on his journey ahead of WrestleMania 42.
Who will make the final call for the Dolphins in the 2026 NFL draft?
See every story in Sports ā including breaking news and analysis.
Meanwhile, Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill admitted he would have preferred to bowl first, citing possible dew later in the evening.
āHonestly, we would have bowled first. As the weather gets hotter, there might be some dew,ā Gill said, while also pointing to a middle-order collapse in their previous outing.
āItās about doing the simple things consistently. Donāt complicate it too much,ā he added, confirming that GT are unchanged for the clash.
130336509
With GT eyeing a top-four push and KKR chasing their first win, the stakes couldnāt be higher as Rahaneās men look to justify their bold call and new combination.
GT vs KKR Playing XIs:
GT vs KKR Impact Subs:
Kolkata Knight Riders: Varun Chakaravarthy, Finn Allen, Tejasvi Dahiya, Navdeep Saini, Manish Pandey
Gujarat Titans: Jason Holder, Shahrukh Khan, Manav Suthar, Kulwant Khejroliya, Anuj Rawat