As per growing speculation, Mumbai's Ranji Trophy captain Ajinkya Rahane has emerged as a potential candidate to lead the KKR franchise in the IPL 2025 season. The 36-year-old was omitted from the leadership position from his domestic Mumbai side in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. 

However, given his experience at the highest level, Rahane's leadership capabilities are still held in high regard.

See also: Suryakumar Yadav ready to play in SMAT and Vijay Hazare Trophy

Speculation around Rahane leading the Kolkata Knight Riders

Rahane was bought by the KKR for an impressive amount of Rs 1.5 crore in the Jeddah mega-auction. From what we understand from a source in TOI, Rahane is being considered over Venkatesh Iyer as a viable captaincy candidate for the three-time IPL champions. 

"Yes, at the moment it's 90% confirmed that Ajinkya will be the new KKR captain. He was bought by KKR specifically for the purpose of being a viable captaincy option."

If this development becomes a reality, then it would surely be seen as a surprising move from the Shahrukh Khan-owned KKR since the franchise was vying to appoint the all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer as a captain initially who was bought for a whopping Rs 23.75 crore in the mega auction.

Rahane was previously removed as the Mumbai captain in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament as the MCA preferred to have the in-form Shreyas Iyer for the job instead. However, it will be an ironic turnaround for Rahane if he becomes the captain of KKR, and while doing so he will replace Shreyas in the process who led the Kolkata-based outfit to the title last year. 

Rahane is no longer a part of the Indian setup across formats but under his leadership, the national side went on to achieve some significant milestones that are still etched in the chapters of India's glorious cricket history. 

The three-time IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will play in IPL 2025 as the defending champions who won the IPL 2024 title after thrashing the dangerous SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the final of the tournament. 

To retain the maximum six players, including four capped and two uncapped, the KKR officially spent INR 69 crore, despite their retention value being INR 57 crore. It meant that the reigning champions could use INR 51 crore in the mega auction. 

Kolkata Knight Riders: Key additions from the mega auction

The mega auction clarified that the KKR weren’t happy with the six-player retention rule, as the defending champions showed their desperation for Venkatesh Iyer and Angkrish Raghuvanshi, even if it crossed 10x of the base price. The Kolkata-based franchise also added their familiar face Manish Pandey, who strongly served for the KKR between 2014 and 2017 before returning to the franchise for the 2024 season.

To make the team stronger, KKR added big names like Anrich Nortje, Quinton de Kock, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Moeen Ali, Spencer Johnson, Rovman Powell, etc.  

SEE ALSO: KKR go all out for their old knight Venkatesh Iyer

KKR Full Squad

Batters: Rinku Singh (retained), Manish Pandey, Ajinkya Rahane, Angkrish Raghuvanshi

Wicketkeepers: Quinton de Kock (South African), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Afghan), Luvnith Sisodia

All-rounders: Sunil Narine (Trinidadian/retained), Andre Russell (Jamaican/retained), Ramandeep Singh (retained), Moeen Ali (English), Rovman Powell (Jamaican), Venkatesh Iyer, Anukul Roy 

Spinners: Varun Chakravarthy (retained), Mayank Markande

Pacers: Harshit Rana (retained), Anrich Nortje (South African), Spencer Johnson (Australian), Umran Malik, Vaibhav Arora

Brief SWOT analysis

The reigning IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders had a great IPL 2025 mega auction. The franchise has strong trust in its old players. Moreover, they have added some strong names to the squad.

KKR have strong names in batting and bowling. While most foreign names have good alternatives, Indian batters have strong experiences. The all-rounders are really strong for the KKR, as most are match-winners. Spin and pace bowling options are also strong, but the Indian pace bowling lineup is inexperienced. 

KKR Best possible XI for IPL 2025

Sunil Narine/Moeen Ali, Quinton de Kock/Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Manish Pandey, Venkatesh Iyer, Ramandeep Singh, Rinku Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Andre Russell, Harshit Rana, Anrich Nortje, Varun Chakaravarthy

The IPL 2025 mega auction, held on November 24 and 25 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, made headlines for its record-breaking bids and strategic team-building. The Lucknow Super Giants stunned everyone by securing Rishabh Pant for an unprecedented ₹27 crore, making him the most expensive player in IPL history. Punjab Kings showcased their aggressive intent, acquiring Shreyas Iyer for ₹26.75 crore and Arshdeep Singh for ₹18 crore, strengthening their squad with both batting firepower and bowling depth. Meanwhile, Kolkata Knight Riders went all-in for Venkatesh Iyer, shelling out ₹23.75 crore to bring the all-rounder back to their camp. The seasoned leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal also fetched ₹18 crore, marking Punjab Kings as the team with three of the top five buys in this auction.

The auction reflected a clear shift in franchise strategies, emphasizing proven match-winners and game-changers. Punjab Kings' bold moves signaled their determination to break their IPL title drought, assembling a star-studded lineup under a hefty price tag. Lucknow's decision to splurge on Rishabh Pant suggested a long-term vision to build their squad around a dynamic leader, while Kolkata's faith in Venkatesh Iyer aimed to rejuvenate their middle order and all-round capabilities. With record sums exchanged and marquee players switching loyalties, the stage is set for IPL 2025 to be one of the most competitive seasons yet.

See Also: Should KL Rahul Have Commanded a Higher Price in the IPL Auction?

Breakdown of all top 5 buys in IPL 2025 mega auction 

The IPL 2025 mega auction in Jeddah was not just a spectacle of staggering bids but also a testament to the star power and proven credentials of its top players. Rishabh Pant, acquired by Lucknow Super Giants for a record-breaking ₹27 crore, emerged as the headline act. Pant's IPL career stats underline his explosive batting and leadership potential. With 3,284 runs at a strike rate of 148.93, including a blazing 128* as his highest score, he embodies the modern-day T20 prototype: a power-hitting wicketkeeper-batter who can single-handedly change games. With 18 half-centuries, a century, and the added value of 75 catches and 23 stumpings, Pant's role as a captain for LSG is expected to galvanize their campaign.

Shreyas Iyer, bought by Punjab Kings for ₹26.75 crore, brought his reputation as a reliable middle-order batter and a title-winning IPL captain to the table. While his batting is often deemed one-dimensional due to a moderate strike rate of 127.48, his consistent run tally of 3,127 runs across 115 matches, including 21 fifties, makes him a vital anchor in any lineup. Punjab’s aggressive bidding for Iyer reflects their ambition to establish stability and leadership at the top, hoping to leverage his tactical acumen to finally secure an elusive IPL title.

Kolkata Knight Riders made waves by reclaiming Venkatesh Iyer for ₹23.75 crore. The flamboyant batting all-rounder has been a revelation in the IPL, amassing 1,326 runs at a brisk strike rate of 137.13. His middle-over exploits, complemented by a century and 11 fifties in just 50 matches, make him a dynamic game-changer. While his bowling hasn't been heavily utilized in the IPL, his potential as a sixth bowler adds a tactical edge. KKR’s faith in Venkatesh signals their intent to fortify their middle order with explosiveness and all-round balance.

Punjab Kings dominate IPL 2025 auction

Punjab Kings continued their aggressive spending spree by snapping up Arshdeep Singh and Yuzvendra Chahal for ₹18 crore each. Arshdeep, known for his versatility as a new-ball and death-overs bowler, brings immense value with 76 wickets at an economy of 9.03 across 65 matches. His ability to deliver under pressure and a best of 5/32 position him as one of the most reliable Indian pacers. Meanwhile, Chahal, with 205 wickets in 160 matches at an average of 22.45 and a strike rate of 17.18, is a proven match-winner. As the second-leading T20I wicket-taker for India, his knack for dismantling batting lineups makes him a prized asset.

With three players among the top five buys, Punjab Kings have showcased their intent to build a squad capable of dominating IPL 2025. Their acquisitions of Iyer, Arshdeep, and Chahal reflect a balanced approach, combining batting depth, wicket-taking prowess, and tactical leadership. Lucknow Super Giants’ record-breaking investment in Pant highlights their focus on a game-changing leader, while KKR’s commitment to Venkatesh Iyer emphasizes their desire for middle-order explosiveness. As these stars gear up for the upcoming season, the stage is set for a thrilling competition where these marquee players are expected to justify their hefty price tags.

Three-time IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are the reigning champions. So, they have huge pressure for the IPL 2025 mega auction as the team has to set up to defend their title for the IPL 2025. 

After retaining six players, four capped and two uncapped players, KKR started the IPL 2025 mega auction with a remaining purse of INR 51 crore (after an official deduction of INR 69 crore). 

In the mega auction, KKR went all out to retain Venkatesh Iyer and Angkrish Raghuvanshi, which proves that six retentions were not enough for the reigning IPL champions. They also added some big overseas names like Quinton de Kock, Moeen Ali, Anrich Nortje, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, and Rovman Powell along with Spencer Johnson, who has played 10 limited-overs matches for Australia. Some of the top Indian names in the new KKR squad are Manish Pandey, Ajinkya Rahane, Umran Malik, etc.

SEE ALSO: Agartala likely to be KKR's second home venue for IPL 2025

Pre Auction Retentions

(Capped)

Rinku Singh (Indian): INR 13 Crore

Varun Chakravarthy (Indian): INR 12 Crore

Sunil Narine (Trinidadian): INR 12 Crore

Andre Russell (Jamaican): INR 12 Crore

(Uncapped) 

Harshit Rana (Indian): INR 4 Crore

Ramandeep Singh (Indian): INR 4 Crore

Right-to-Match (RTM) card availability for the mega auction 

None

Mega Auction Buys

Venkatesh Iyer (Indian): Base price INR 2 crore – Bid won INR 23.75 crore

Anrich Nortje (South African): Base price INR 2 crore – Bid won INR 6.50 crore

Quinton de Kock (South African): Base price INR 2 crore – Bid won INR 3.60 crore

Angkrish Raghuvanshi (Indian): Base price INR 30 lakh – Bid won INR 3 crore

Spencer Johnson (Australian): Base price INR 2 crore – Bid won INR 2.80 crore

Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Afghanistan): Base price INR 2 crore – Bid won INR 2 crore  

Moeen Ali (England): Base price INR 2 crore – Bid won INR 2 crore  

Vaibhav Arora (Indian): Base price INR 30 lakh – Bid won INR 1.80 crore

Rovman Powell (Jamaican): Base price INR 1.50 crore – Bid won INR 1.50 crore

Ajinkya Rahane (Indian): Base price INR 1.50 crore – Bid won INR 1.50 crore

Umran Malik (Indian): Base price INR 75 lakh – Bid won INR 75 lakh

Manish Pandey (Indian): Base price INR 75 lakh – Bid won INR 75 lakh

Anukul Roy (Indian): Base price INR 30 lakh – Bid won INR 40 lakh

Luvnith Sisodia (Indian): Base price INR 30 lakh – Bid won INR 30 lakh

Mayank Markande (Indian): Base price INR 30 lakh – Bid won INR 30 lakh

Full Squad

Rinku Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Harshit Rana, Ramandeep Singh, Venkatesh Iyer, Quinton de Kock, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Anrich Nortje, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Vaibhav Arora, Mayank Markande, Rovman Powell, Manish Pandey, Spencer Johnson, Luvnith Sisodia, Ajinkya Rahane, Anukul Roy, Moeen Ali, Umran Malik.

Best Predicted XI

Sunil Narine/Moeen Ali, Quinton de Kock/Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Manish Pandey, Venkatesh Iyer, Ramandeep Singh, Rinku Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Andre Russell, Harshit Rana, Anrich Nortje, Varun Chakaravarthy

Three-time IPL winners and reigning IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) went all out in the IPL 2025 mega auction opening day to retain Venkatesh Iyer. KKR stunned by spending INR 23.75 crore for the capped Indian player. 

Although Kolkata Knight Riders didn't retain Venkatesh Iyer before the IPL 2025 auction, they bought the 29-year-old capped all-rounder for INR 23.75 crore. In the IPL 2025 mega auction, KKR were desperate for the known face, whose price IPL value has jumped huge from INR 8 crore to INR 23.75. 

LSG and RCB challenged KKR in the auction

From his base price of INR 2 crore, KKR started the bidding war with Lucknow Super Giants. After their bid ended INR 7.75 crore, Royal Challengers Bengaluru joined the battle with big bids. That intense expensive battle crossed the INR 23 crore mark, where the KKR finally won the bid. 

Iyer's IPL career

The 29-year-old Venkatesh Iyer has played all 51 IPL matches for KKR between 2021 and 2024. While the left-handed batter scored 1326 runs with an average of 31.57 and a strike rate of 137.12, including one century and 11 half-centuries, the right-arm medium pacer has bagged three wickets in his IPL career. 

During the IPL 2023, Iyer scored his most runs in an IPL edition, 404 runs in 14 innings (average of 28.86 and strike rate of 145.84), including his first IPL century. While he finished as the third leading run-scorer for his team in that season, he also finished in the same place for the IPL 2024 champions by scoring 370 runs in 13 innings (average of 46.25 and strike rate of 158.79) with the help of four half-centuries. 

In the meantime, the right-arm medium took all three IPL wickets in his debutant IPL season (2021). 

By spending a huge amount on Iyer in the IPL auction, the KKR have restricted their next auction battles, as the remaining purse suddenly dropped to less than INR 30 crore. 

The famous Eden Gardens in Kolkata is all set to undergo a massive makeover in 2025 before the T20 World Cup 2026. For the same reason, defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders may have to move their base to some other place for a few if not all the matches. And, Tripura becomes the frontrunner as it could host the IPL as well.

KKR to play a few games at Narsingarh

Notably, the construction for the international cricket stadium at Narsingarh started way back in 2017 for an estimated cost of INR 185 crore and the stadium is now nearly ready to host matches as well. Tripura Cricket Association secretary Subrata Dey also confirmed that the stadium will be ready by February 2025 as well. He also confirmed that the stadium could host KKR or some other state as well.

“IPL chairman Arun Kumar Dhumal recently visited the proposed international stadium at Narsingarh on the outskirts of the state capital. He said if the stadium’s is ready before February next year, it could be made second home ground of KKR or some else other state will get the benefit,” Subarta was quoted as saying by News18.

SEE ALSO: Watch: Rohit Sharma's Playful 'Rohit Bhai RCB Me Aa Jao Yaar' Query Goes Viral

TCA secretary hopeful of hosting KKR games

“Since it is a golden chance to host IPL matches at the proposed stadium, we have summoned a reputed construction agency to expedite work and get it completed by February 2025. The TCA will review the construction work and if the agency fails to meet the deadline, we will terminate it and engage a new firm to complete the remaining work,” he further added.

However, the deadline to set up the stadium was 22 months but it has taken seven years since the project started as well. The TCA has also asked the firm to finish the rest of the work in the stipulated time as he is assured of hosting at least two of KKR’s games next year as well.

“If we could complete the stadium’s work by February next year, I am confident of hosting at least two IPL matches of KKR at Narsingarh International Cricket Stadium”, he said.

As all 10 franchises gear up to lock horns in the upcoming mega auction in Riyadh later this month, most of their quest will be centered around looking for a new captain. The Indian wicketkeepers featuring the likes of Rishab Pant, KL Rahul, and Shreyas Iyer will also be in contention in this year’s mega auction race. 

As many as four IPL franchises have released their respective captains ahead of the grand Riyadh auction. Faf has been released by RCB, KL Rahul released by LSG, Pant released by DC, and Iyer released by the defending champions KKR to name a few. With sweeping changes expected across the horizon, we highlight some common problems the franchises are expected to encounter in this forthcoming auction. 

Common headaches for all franchises ahead of the IPL auction

As we have now learnt, teams have expressed their desire to let go of their captains. The exit of the past skippers will undoubtedly leave a power vacuum. KKR, RCB, LSG, and DC will be without their former captains who performed remarkably well for them over the years. The gap can also result in decreased performance and impact on the field as well as off-the-field relationships between the players and the coaching staff. In other words, with new talent onboard, success may not always be guaranteed as the players and the management need to starch from scratch while forging new relations. 

Besides, the departure of other veteran players like Pant or Iyer can leave the team vulnerable on the biggest of stages. Iyer, who was the winning captain of KRR last year comes with a lot of experience and the franchise could have certainly benefitted from him once again in the next season. However, the arrival of a fresh captain can potentially change the dynamics and the composure of the KKR team for the worse. 

While some teams are on the lookout for fresh talent to lead their side, others are also gearing up to find match-winners in the form of wicket-keepers such as Rishab Pant and KL Rahul.  The franchises will have a lot of tough decisions to make as we fast approach the mega auction so don't be surprised if they make any move out of the ordinary.  

The three-time IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will play the IPL 2025 as the defending champions. They have announced the retained played before the mega auction. 

Apart from winning the IPL 2024 after defeating SunRisers Hyderabad in the final, KKR won their first two IPL trophies in 2012 and 2014. 

Before winning the IPL 2024 trophy, KKR finished the league stage as the points table leader. 

Shreyas Iyer has been leading the KKR since the 2022 edition and he led the team to win the trophy in the last season. However, due to his unavailability for the 2023 season due to an injury, Nitish Rana led the team in the 2023 season. 

Talking about KKR’s success, we should also talk about their runners-up finishing at the Champions League T20 2014, which is now defunct. 

Kolkata Knight Riders player retention

KKR retained six players for INR 57 crore. The defending champions have retained four capped and two uncapped players. Due to using four capped (18 cr+14 cr+11cr+18cr) and two uncapped players (4 cr+4 cr), KKR will lose INR 69 crore. So, they will start the mega auction with a purse value of INR 51 crore.  

(Capped)

Rinku Singh (Indian): INR 13 Crore

Varun Chakravarthy (Indian): INR 12 Crore

Sunil Narine (Trinidadian): INR 12 Crore

Andre Russell (Jamaican): INR 12 Crore

(Uncapped) 

Harshit Rana (Indian): INR 4 Crore

Ramandeep Singh (Indian): INR 4 Crore

Right-to-Match (RTM) card availability for the mega auction

None

Gautam Gambhir, the former Indian opening batter, visited Kolkata last Friday to record a farewell video for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Eden Gardens. Sources confirm that this video marks his goodbye to the franchise, following his successful tenure as team mentor, where he played a crucial role in guiding KKR to the IPL title. Gambhir’s departure from KKR comes as he is set to take on a new and prestigious role as the head coach of the Indian cricket team, replacing Rahul Dravid.

Gambhir sets to lead India

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has granted Gautam Gambhir the autonomy to select his coaching staff for the national team. This move underscores the trust and confidence the BCCI has in Gambhir’s vision for Indian cricket. While it remains uncertain whether a dedicated batting coach will be appointed, given Gambhir’s expertise as a successful opener, one name has already emerged as a potential addition to his support team.

See Also: KL Rahul or Hardik Pandya likely to lead India in the ODI series vs Sri Lanka – Cricket Winner

Gambhir has expressed his desire to include Abhishek Nayar, a former cricketer and seasoned coach, in his coaching setup. As Gambhir prepares to step into his new role, the cricketing community eagerly anticipates the impact of his leadership and the formation of his coaching staff.

Reason for delay in announcing new Indian Cricket team head coach

The Indian cricket team remains without a designated head coach after Rahul Dravid’s tenure ended with the T20 World Cup 2024. A second-string team is currently in Zimbabwe, with NCA head VVS Laxman temporarily filling the head coach role. The BCCI has interviewed Gautam Gambhir and WV Raman, with Gambhir expected to be appointed.

However, the official announcement has been delayed due to ongoing salary negotiations between Gambhir and the board. BCCI secretary Jay Shah confirmed that the new coach will take charge from the Sri Lanka series starting July 27. The board also plans to allow Gambhir a free hand in selecting his support staff, potentially foregoing a batting coach given Gambhir’s experience as an opener.