Kolkata Knight Riders' Home Ground - Eden Gardens in Kolkata

Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are looking for a strong season in the IPL 2025. Their iconic home venue, Eden Gardens (Kolkata), will not only host the tournament opener but also host the Qualifier 2 and Final of the tournament. 

Recent matches played by KKR at Eden Gardens

• IPL 2024 League Match: KKR vs MI - Hosts won by 18 runs
• IPL 2024 League Match: KKR vs DC - Hosts won by 7 wickets
• IPL 2024 League Match: KKR vs PBKS - Punjab Kings won by 8 wickets

Kolkata Knight Riders' IPL 2025 Home Matches at Eden Gardens in Kolkata

How to Buy Tickets for KKR Matches at Eden Gardens in Kolkata

(All the following information about IPL 2025 tickets is only expected. The actual information will be updated once the official statements)

Online Booking:

• Available on BookMyShow, PayTM Insider, and the KKR official website.
• Select your match, choose your seats, and make the payment.

Offline Purchase:

• Offline tickets may be available at the Eden Gardens box office and selected retail outlets.

Ticket Prices (Estimated):

• INR 750-3000 (Blocks)
• INR 5000-8000 (Club House Tiers)
• INR 8500 (B Premium)
• INR 19000-28000 (VIP-Corporate Hospitality) 

Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 is the most highly anticipated cricket league all over the world. With major teams and cricket players participating to win the glamorous trophy, IPL 2025 will be a thrilling season.

• Organizer: Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)
• Edition: 18th season of IPL
• Total Teams: 10
• Match Format: T20 (20 overs per side)
• Number of Matches: Expected to be around 74
• Venues: Multiple cities across India
• Start Date: March 22
• Final Date:  May 25
• Official Broadcasters: Star Sports, JioHotstar (for digital streaming)

Participating Teams in ipl 2025

1. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) - Captain: Ruturaj Gaikwad
2. Mumbai Indians (MI) - Captain: Hardik Pandya
3. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) - Captain: Rajat Patidar
4. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) - Captain: TBD
5. Delhi Capitals (DC) - Captain: TBD
6. Rajasthan Royals (RR) - Captain: Sanju Samson
7. Punjab Kings (PBKS) - Captain: Shreyas Iyer
8. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) - Captain: Pat Cummins
9. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) - Captain: Rishabh Pant
10. Gujarat Titans (GT) - Captain: Shubman Gill

IPL 2025 SCHEDULE:

• 22-Mar-25 (Sat) 7:30 PM - Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Kolkata)
• 23-Mar-25 (Sun) 3:30 PM - Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals (Hyderabad)
• 23-Mar-25 (Sun) 7:30 PM - Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians (Chennai)
• 24-Mar-25 (Mon) 7:30 PM - Delhi Capitals vs Lucknow Super Giants (Visakhapatnam)
• 25-Mar-25 (Tue) 7:30 PM - Gujarat Titans vs Punjab Kings (Ahmedabad)
• 26-Mar-25 (Wed) 7:30 PM - Rajasthan Royals vs Kolkata Knight Riders (Guwahati)
• 27-Mar-25 (Thu) 7:30 PM - Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Lucknow Super Giants (Hyderabad)
• 28-Mar-25 (Fri) 7:30 PM - Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Chennai)
• 29-Mar-25 (Sat) 7:30 PM - Gujarat Titans vs Mumbai Indians (Ahmedabad)
• 30-Mar-25 (Sun) 3:30 PM - Delhi Capitals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad (Visakhapatnam)
• 30-Mar-25 (Sun) 7:30 PM - Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings (Guwahati)
• 31-Mar-25 (Mon) 7:30 PM - Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders (Mumbai)

APRIL:

• 01-Apr-25 (Tue) 7:30 PM - Lucknow Super Giants vs Punjab Kings (Lucknow)
• 02-Apr-25 (Wed) 7:30 PM - Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Gujarat Titans (Bengaluru)
• 03-Apr-25 (Thu) 7:30 PM - Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad (Kolkata)
• 04-Apr-25 (Fri) 7:30 PM - Lucknow Super Giants vs Mumbai Indians (Lucknow)
• 05-Apr-25 (Sat) 3:30 PM - Chennai Super Kings vs Delhi Capitals (Chennai)
• 05-Apr-25 (Sat) 7:30 PM - Punjab Kings vs Rajasthan Royals (New Chandigarh)
• 06-Apr-25 (Sun) 3:30 PM - Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants (Kolkata)
• 06-Apr-25 (Sun) 7:30 PM - Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Gujarat Titans (Hyderabad)
• 07-Apr-25 (Mon) 7:30 PM - Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Mumbai)
• 08-Apr-25 (Tue) 7:30 PM - Punjab Kings vs Chennai Super Kings (New Chandigarh)
• 09-Apr-25 (Wed) 7:30 PM - Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals (Ahmedabad)
• 10-Apr-25 (Thu) 7:30 PM - Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Delhi Capitals (Bengaluru)
• 11-Apr-25 (Fri) 7:30 PM - Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders (Chennai)
• 12-Apr-25 (Sat) 3:30 PM - Lucknow Super Giants vs Gujarat Titans (Lucknow)
• 12-Apr-25 (Sat) 7:30 PM - Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Punjab Kings (Hyderabad)
• 13-Apr-25 (Sun) 3:30 PM - Rajasthan Royals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Jaipur)
• 13-Apr-25 (Sun) 7:30 PM - Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians (Delhi)
• 15-Apr-25 (Tue) 7:30 PM - Lucknow Super Giants vs Rajasthan Royals (Lucknow)
• 16-Apr-25 (Wed) 7:30 PM - Punjab Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders (New Chandigarh)
• 17-Apr-25 (Thu) 7:30 PM - Delhi Capitals vs Gujarat Titans (Delhi)
• 18-Apr-25 (Fri) 7:30 PM - Mumbai Indians vs Sunrisers Hyderabad (Mumbai)
• 19-Apr-25 (Sat) 3:30 PM - Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Punjab Kings (Bengaluru)
• 19-Apr-25 (Sat) 7:30 PM - Gujarat Titans vs Delhi Capitals (Ahmedabad)
• 20-Apr-25 (Sun) 3:30 PM - Rajasthan Royals vs Lucknow Super Giants (Jaipur)
• 20-Apr-25 (Sun) 7:30 PM - Punjab Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru (New Chandigarh)
• April 20, 2025 (Sunday, 7:30 PM) – Mumbai Indians vs. Chennai Super Kings (Mumbai)
• April 21, 2025 (Monday, 7:30 PM) – Kolkata Knight Riders vs. Gujarat Titans (Kolkata)
• April 22, 2025 (Tuesday, 7:30 PM) – Lucknow Super Giants vs. Delhi Capitals (Lucknow)
• April 23, 2025 (Wednesday, 7:30 PM) – Sunrisers Hyderabad vs. Mumbai Indians (Hyderabad)
• April 24, 2025 (Thursday, 7:30 PM) – Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs. Rajasthan Royals (Bengaluru)
• April 25, 2025 (Friday, 7:30 PM) – Chennai Super Kings vs. Sunrisers Hyderabad (Chennai)
• April 26, 2025 (Saturday, 7:30 PM) – Kolkata Knight Riders vs. Punjab Kings (Kolkata)
• April 27, 2025 (Sunday, 7:30 PM) – Mumbai Indians vs. Lucknow Super Giants (Mumbai)
• April 28, 2025 (Monday, 7:30 PM) – Delhi Capitals vs. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Delhi)
• April 29, 2025 (Tuesday, 7:30 PM) – Rajasthan Royals vs. Gujarat Titans (Jaipur)
• April 30, 2025 (Wednesday, 7:30 PM) – Delhi Capitals vs. Kolkata Knight Riders (Delhi)

MAY:

• May 1, 2025 (Thursday, 7:30 PM) – Chennai Super Kings vs. Punjab Kings (Chennai)
• May 2, 2025 (Friday, 7:30 PM) – Rajasthan Royals vs. Mumbai Indians (Jaipur)
• May 3, 2025 (Saturday, 7:30 PM) – Gujarat Titans vs. Sunrisers Hyderabad (Ahmedabad)
• May 4, 2025 (Sunday, 7:30 PM) – Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs. Gujarat Titans (Bengaluru)
• May 5, 2025 (Monday, 7:30 PM) – Kolkata Knight Riders vs. Rajasthan Royals (Kolkata)
• May 6, 2025 (Tuesday, 7:30 PM) – Punjab Kings vs. Lucknow Super Giants (Dharamsala)
• May 7, 2025 (Wednesday, 7:30 PM) – Sunrisers Hyderabad vs. Delhi Capitals (Hyderabad)
• May 8, 2025 (Thursday, 7:30 PM) – Mumbai Indians vs. Gujarat Titans (Mumbai)
• May 9, 2025 (Friday, 7:30 PM) – Kolkata Knight Riders vs. Chennai Super Kings (Kolkata)
• May 10, 2025 (Saturday, 7:30 PM) – Punjab Kings vs. Delhi Capitals (Dharamsala)
• May 11, 2025 (Sunday, 7:30 PM) – Lucknow Super Giants vs. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Lucknow)
• May 12, 2025 (Monday, 7:30 PM) – Sunrisers Hyderabad vs. Kolkata Knight Riders (Hyderabad)
• May 13, 2025 (Tuesday, 7:30 PM) – Punjab Kings vs. Mumbai Indians (Dharamsala)
• May 14, 2025 (Wednesday, 7:30 PM) – Delhi Capitals vs. Gujarat Titans (Delhi)
• May 15, 2025 (Thursday, 7:30 PM) – Chennai Super Kings vs. Rajasthan Royals (Chennai)
• May 16, 2025 (Friday, 7:30 PM) – Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs. Sunrisers Hyderabad (Bengaluru)
• May 17, 2025 (Saturday, 7:30 PM) – Gujarat Titans vs. Lucknow Super Giants (Ahmedabad)
• May 18, 2025 (Sunday, 7:30 PM) – Mumbai Indians vs. Delhi Capitals (Mumbai)
• May 19, 2025 (Monday, 7:30 PM) – Rajasthan Royals vs. Punjab Kings (Jaipur)
• May 20, 2025 (Tuesday, 7:30 PM) – Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs. Kolkata Knight Riders (Bengaluru)
• May 21, 2025 (Wednesday, 7:30 PM) – Qualifier 1 (Ahmedabad)
• May 22, 2025 (Thursday, 7:30 PM) – Eliminator (Hyderabad)
• May 24, 2025 (Saturday, 7:30 PM) – Qualifier 2 (Kolkata)
• May 25, 2025 (Sunday, 7:30 PM) – Final (Kolkata)

IPL 2025 Highest Auction:

• Rishabh Pant:27 cr
• Shreyas Iyer:26.75
• Venkatesh Iyer:23.75
• Vaibhav Suryavanshi:1.1(Debue)

Major Highlights of 2025:

• Impact Player Rule Refining: The 2023 IPL rule is set to be made more flexible with modifications to include more strategic substitution.
  
• Venue Expansion: New locations can be incorporated into the host venue list to increase IPL's fan base all over India.
  
• DRS Rule Improvements: Enhanced technology and more review choices can be implemented to reduce errors made by umpires.
  
• Focus on Emerging Players: Franchises are acquiring young players with development programs and scouting programs.
  
• Salary Cap Hike: The BCCI is likely to hike the purse limit of franchises so that larger bids are possible in auctions.

ALSO READ:CSK vs MI at Chepauk: The Ultimate IPL Rivalry Set for March 23?

IPL 2025 SQUADS:

RCB: Virat Kohli, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Krunal Pandya, Rajat Patidar, Yash Dayal, Liam Livingstone, Phil Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Josh Hazlewood, Rasikh Dar, Swapnil Singh, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Manoj Bhandage, Jacob Bethell, Devdutt Padikkal, Swastik Chhikara, Lungi Ngidi, Abhinandan Singh, Mohit Rathee, and Suyash Sharma.

CSK:Ruturaj Gaikwad (Captain), Devon Conway, Rahul Tripathi, Shaik Rasheed, Andre Siddarth, Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, Sam Curran, Deepak Hooda, Rachin Ravindra, Vijay Shankar, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Anshul Kamboj, Jamie Overton, MS Dhoni, Vansh Bedi, Matheesha Pathirana, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Choudhary, Nathan Ellis, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Gurjapneet Singh, Ravichandran Ashwin, Noor Ahmad, Shreyas Gopal.

KKR:Shreyas Iyer (Captain), Nehal Wadhera, Harnoor Pannu, Pyla Avinash, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Harpreet Brar, Azmatullah Omarzai, Aaron Hardie, Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Vishnu Vinod, Josh Inglis, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Lockie Ferguson, Kuldeep Sen, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Yash Thakur.

MI:Hardik Pandya (Captain), Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Bevon-John Jacobs, Will Jacks, Mitchell Santner, Raj Angad Bawa, Naman Dhir, Vignesh Puthur, Robin Minz, Ryan Rickelton, Shrijith Krishnan, Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar, Reece Topley, Lizaad Williams, Arjun Tendulkar, Karn Sharma, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Ashwani Kumar, Satyanarayana Raju.

DC:KL Rahul, Harry Brook, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Karun Nair, Faf du Plessis, Donovan Ferreira, Abishek Porel, Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel, Ashutosh Sharma, Sameer Rizvi, Vipraj Nigam, Madhav Tiwari, L Manvanth Kumar, Tripurana Vijay, Ajay Mandal, Darshan Nalkande, Mitchell Starc, T Natarajan, Mukesh Kumar, Mohit Sharma, Dushmantha Chameera, Kuldeep Yadav.

RR:Sanju Samson (Captain), Shimron Hetmyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Shubham Dubey, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Wanindu Hasaranga, Nitish Rana, Yudhvir Singh, Dhruv Jurel, Kunal Singh Rathore, Jofra Archer, Tushar Deshpande, Maheesh Theekshana, Sandeep Sharma, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Akash Madhwal, Kumar Kartikeya, Ashok Sharma, Kwena Maphaka.

PBKS:Shreyas Iyer (Captain), Nehal Wadhera, Harnoor Pannu, Pyla Avinash, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Harpreet Brar, Azmatullah Omarzai, Aaron Hardie, Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Vishnu Vinod, Josh Inglis, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Lockie Ferguson, Kuldeep Sen, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Yash Thakur.

SRH:Pat Cummins (Captain), Travis Head, Abhinav Manohar, Atharva Taide, Sachin Baby, Aniket Verma, Heinrich Klaasen, Ishan Kishan, Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Kamindu Mendis, Mohammed Shami, Harshal Patel, Simarjeet Singh, Eshan Malinga, Brydon Carse, Jaydev Unadkat, Rahul Chahar, Adam Zampa, Zeeshan Ansari.

LSG:Rishabh Pant (Captain), David Miller, Aiden Markram, Aryan Juyal, Himmat Singh, Matthew Breetzke, Nicholas Pooran, Mitchell Marsh, Arshin Kulkarni, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Avesh Khan, Ravi Bishnoi, Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan, M Siddharth, Akash Deep.

GT:Shubman Gill (Captain), Jos Buttler, Sherfane Rutherford, Glenn Phillips, B. Sai Sudharsan, M. Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Washington Sundar, Nishant Sindhu, Mahipal Lomror, Jayant Yadav, Karim Janat, Arshad Khan, Gurnoor Brar, Kumar Kushagra, Anuj Rawat, Rashid Khan, Mohammed Siraj, Kagiso Rabada, M. Prasidh Krishna, Gerald Coetzee, R. Sai Kishore, Ishant Sharma.

Sheldon Jackson Announces His Retirement from Professional Cricket

Veteran wicketkeeper-batter Sheldon Jackson has announced his retirement from professional cricket. He did so after Saurashtra recently exited the Ranji Trophy. His decision has thus sealed what has been a tremendous 15-year run in domestic cricket, with Sheldon Jackson emerging as one of the most consistent performers on the Indian circuit.

Sheldon Jackson has announced his retirement from professional cricket.

- He scored over 7,000 runs in First Class cricket at an average of 46. 🌟 pic.twitter.com/Q8xhoYqQTO

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) February 11, 2025

A Stalwart in First-Class Cricket
Jackson played 106 First-Class matches, with an aggregate score of 7,283 runs at an average of 45.80. He scored 21 centuries and 39 half-centuries; thus, anchoring innings and match-winning knocks are testament to his outstanding cricketing skill. His performances helped Saurashtra become one of the most formidable teams in the domestic circuit.
Important Contributions towards Saurashtra
One of Jackson's most memorable games was the Vijay Hazare Trophy final held in 2022, which he played after scoring an unbeaten 133-run knock as Saurashtra won the championship. He always proved to be a great leadership figure and with his experience for the team had been very handy in winning years after years of matches, earning him respect inside the dressing room.

ALSO READ:No Virat Kohli: RCB Finds New Captain for IPL 2025?

IPL and Limited Overs Career
He also played in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in which he represented Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Though opportunity in top format came to him rarely, he proved himself every time. In January 2025, he announced his retirement from limited-overs formats for playing First-Class cricket only. And now, with the end of Saurashtra's Ranji Trophy campaign, he has decided not to play further in all formats of the game.

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.

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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.