Ajinkya Rahane was a disappointed captain as Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) suffered a 39-run defeat against Gujarat Titans (GT) in the IPL 2025 match at the Eden Gardens on Monday (April 21).

Chasing 199 to win, KKR could only reach 159/8 in 20 overs. Rahane waged a lone battle, scoring 50 off 36 balls while no one other batter managed to cross the 30-run mark.

"I thought 199 was chaseable. We came back into the game really well with the ball. You expect good opening starts, but that’s what we’ve been struggling with throughout the tournament. We need to learn quickly," Rahane told the broadcaster after the game.

"The pitch was a little slow, but when we were bowling, we thought anything below 210 or 200 would be good. We need to bat better, especially in the middle overs. We need better opening starts—no complaints about our bowlers. They’ve been improving with every game," he added.

Opening the innings, Sunil Narine has failed to replicate last season’s form as he has amassed just 147 runs from seven outings. The southpaw scored 17 off 13 balls against GT before being dismissed.

In particular Venkatesh Iyer came under the scanner for his 19-ball 14, where he failed to hit a single boundary.

While Rahane refrained from taking any names, he highlighted the importance of intent and positivity in the T20 format.

"This format is about being brave as a batter. You can't think too much about the past—just learn from your mistakes, take your chances, and have a positive mindset. If you think about getting out, you will get out. Instead, think about scoring runs or hitting boundaries," the skipper said.

Despite the loss, KKR's position remained unchanged in the team standings. They continue to occupy the seventh spot on the 10-team points table with 3 wins from 8 matches.

On the other hand, the Titans strengthened their position at the top of the table with 12 points from 8 games.