Kolkata Knight Riders had a memorable previous edition, earning their third-ever IPL title after a massive gap of ten years. With an optimum mix of reliable players and a robust coaching staff, the team bet all the odds and claimed success. But, their retained list had several polar opinions from critics and fanatics, as they haven't retained the captain who led to their triumph.

With their retention list comprising of emerging and experienced campaigners, they haven't opted for having the Right-to-Match (RTM) option as they have filled all the spots so that it will be some new players venturing into the defending champions' side. That said, here are the potential five-player picks that the Knight Riders would go all out for in the forthcoming 2025 IPL Mega Auction. 

Faf du Plessis

Faf du Plessis could be one of the primary targets for the Men in Purple management, as he ticks the boxes of an experienced power batter and a reliable captain. Considering that the side only has INR 51 Crore left in their purse, they can give their all to buy him, as they can rely on his captaincy expertise.

With just three editions for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, he has taken them twice to the final stages of the playoffs; the side can rest assured in giving him the captaincy position for the upcoming editions. In the last edition, he has made 438 runs in 15 matches at a decent average of over 30.

Ishan Kishan

The Kolkata Knight Riders will not change their powerful hitting lineup for IPL 2025. They can, however, target young Indian wicketkeeper batter Ishan Kishan, who has been freed by the Mumbai Indians, keeping in mind that the team also requires a reliable wicketkeeper. Kishan is known for his aggressive batting and power-hitting ability.

Kishan could be an excellent addition to KKR's star-studded batting lineup, which includes Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, and Rinku Singh. Kishan has recently been uneven with the bat, but recent matches in the local arena have helped to boost the confidence of all franchises in the Mega Auction. In 2024, he made 320 runs in 14 games, averaging at 23. 

Mohammed Shami

The Kolkata Knight Riders will now want to add an experienced fast bowler to their team for the IPL 2025. In the IPL 2025 mega auction, they might want to sign experienced Indian bowler Mohammed Shami. The right-arm bowler is now recovering from a knee injury sustained during his outstanding 2023 Cricket World Cup performance, in which he took an incredible number of wickets in just a few games.

Surprisingly, he has been released by the Gujarat Titans. The KKR management is expected to spend a large sum on him at the mega auction in Jeddah since he has played an essential role in whichever squad he has been a member of in his cricketing environment. Also, with several other franchises putting all their efforts into his acquisition, he could probably be one of the most expensive players in the upcoming mega auction.

Also Read: IPL 2025: 5 players Royal Challengers Bengaluru should target for in the upcoming IPL Mega Auction

Phil Salt

Phil Salt excelled in the top order for KKR in the IPL 2024. His aggressive hitting style might help the squad get off to a fast start. In this case, KKR wants to return him to the team for another season. Phil Salt was pivotal to KKR's successful season last year, scoring 435 runs at an average of 39.54 and a strike rate of 182 in 12 innings, including four fifties.

Despite his excellent performance, KKR dismissed him due to a surplus of players. On the other hand, Salt is an aggressive top-order batsman who maintains wickets and has league experience. Given his achievements, the three-time champions would go all and out for bringing him back to the side, even with the unavailability of an RTM card. 

Rahul Tripathi

Rahul Tripathi symbolises a solid IPL-batter package, thanks to his aggressive approach in obtaining crucial runs. He has consistently performed for any team he has ever represented, frequently stepping up when the squad needed him the most.

His ability to anchor innings and accelerate when needed makes him essential. Tripathi's IPL experience and ability to score crucial runs make him a solid pick for any club. His retention would offer the squad stability and a player around whom to build tactics. In his 2024 stay, he scored 165 runs in just six matches, with a remarkable strike rate above 140. 

IPL 2023, 14th Match: Sunrisers Hyderabad 145 for 2 (Tripathi 74*, Markram 37*, Arshdeep 1-20) beat Punjab Kings 143 for 9 (Dhawan 99*, Markande 4-15, Jansen 2-16) by eight wickets

Shikhar Dhawan’s unbeaten 99 helped Punjab Kings reach a respectable 143 for 9 despite having nine wickets fall around him. When Sunrisers lost their openers Harry Brook and Mayank Agarwal early due to slower balls gripping the Hyderabad surface, that total appeared even more respectable.

However, Rahul Tripathi overcame the conditions to score a lively fifty for Sunrisers, earning them their first victory of the season. Together with his captain Aiden Markram, he scored 63 runs in a 100-run stand that lasted 52 balls and helped ice the chase, resulting in Kings’ first defeat of the season.

Bhuvneshwar, Jansen go bang, bang, bang

On a black-soil turner on Friday, Sunrisers’ seamers were defeated. Two days later, on a pace-friendly red-soil Hyderabad track, Bhuvneshwar and co. were right from the start. Prabhsimran Singh was caught lbw by Bhuvneshwar on the first ball, resulting in a duck.

Jansen, who was picked ahead of leg spinner Adil Rashid, took advantage of the early swing that was available, just like Bhuvneshwar. With his second legal shot, the left-arm seamer defeated IPL debutant Matt Short lbw for one. The following ball, he won an additional lbw appeal from umpire Bruce Oxenford, but Jitesh Sharma overturned the on-field decision during review. Before Jansen had him chipping a drive to mid-off in his subsequent over, Jitesh had only managed four. As Sunrisers’ seam attack thrived at home, T Natarajan also found success in the powerplay.

Dhawan or nothing for PBKS

Dhawan took some trips down the pitch and hit them over the top after the seamers lost their early movement. On the other hand, in his debut for Sunrisers, leg spinner Mayank Markande tore through the middle and lower order with his stock ball and the wrong one. Kings had to Impact Sub a batter for a batter, bringing Sikandar Raza in for Prabhsimran, who had already been run out, because the innings was going so badly wrong. Together, the two players scored 5 runs off 7 balls.

Markande, on the other hand, finished his four overs with figures of 4 for 15. Dhawan unobtrusively played him out, however laid into Natarajan and Umran Malik, taking 61 off 31 balls from them. He scored 6,4,6 against Malik in the 18th over to reach his fifty off 42 balls by launching Natarajan over midwicket for six. Dhawan was dropped three times during the innings, but he continued until the end. He scored 52 in an unbroken 55-run partnership with debutant Mohit Rathee for the last wicket, an IPL record.

The second-highest percentage of runs scored in an IPL innings that lasted 20 overs or ended with a team all out was Dhawan’s 69.2. It came in second only to Brendon McCullum’s 158 runs out of KKR’s total of 222 in the first IPL match.

Rahul Tripathi, Markram see SRH home

Agarwal and Brook were paired at the top of the lineup by Sunrisers to shake things up in their batting order. Brook seemed to be comfortable with the ball’s pace, but when Arshdeep Singh bowled a knuckle ball at 117 kph, he bowled him through the gate for 13 off 14. In the ninth over, Sunrisers were 45 for 2 when Agarwal spliced a catch to long-on when he dared to sweep Rahul Chahar off the stumps.

After that, Tripathi and Markram came together to settle the game. Tripathi used his speed to glide the ball behind point when Chahar darted it faster and flatter outside off. At the point when Chahar dialed his speed back and threw up his leg breaks, Tripathi loosened up to either drive him back to front over additional cover or clear him over midwicket. He slammed Rathee with two sixes and two fours in eight balls, treating him with even more contempt.

Tripathi’s high purpose and execution permitted Markram to pause for a minute or two and tap the ball into the holes. Tripathi finished the game for Sunrisers with eight wickets and almost three overs remaining, fittingly.

In an age of specialist batters, Rahul Tripathi finds himself in a different position. Generally, teams have pick batters on their ability to bat in different stages of the game and against certain types of bowlers. For instance, the likes of Andre Russell generally come in to take on the pacers in the last five, while a player like David Warner sticks to opening, starts well against pace and moves his innings once settled against spin. There has also been collapse specialists in the past with players like Virat Kohli or a Kane Williamson coming in to hold one end out.

With various specialist roles, Rahul Tripathi comes under a different category which was not long ago held by another talent in the form of Suryakumar Yadav. Rahul Tripathi started his IPL career as an opener in the rising Pune Supergiant. He then went on to bat in the middle-order for Rajasthan as the Royals had a lot of opening options, and was used as a floater for the Kolkata Knight Riders.

He is one of the few players who has as good a strike-rate against spin as he does against pace. That proves as an indicator that the kind of bowling coming in at him doesn’t faze him much. Being able to play both kinds of bowling with ease, and attack both gives him the next advantage. He can bat at almost any stage of the innings. Over his career, Rahul Tripathi has been used as an opener, middle-overs enforcer and a finisher with equal success in each position.

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He has a high strike-rate in his first ten balls, making him a quick starter. He hasn’t faced too many deliveries in the death but his 42 balls in that phase saw him score at a high rate making him look like a handy finisher.

His versatility in multiple stages is what makes him a underrated but highly sought player. He was bought for a whopping 8.5 crores and is one of the best uncapped players in the league at this stage. His versatility though is what makes Rahul Tripathi a touch unnoticed. Batting at different stages, Rahul Tripathi often doesn’t get a chance to bat too long. That is a reason behind the lack of personal milestones, as Rahul Tripathi is often in to attack and score at a quick pace.

Scoring runs at a quick pace is why Rahul Tripathi found success with the Knight Riders. At Kolkata, he started as a finisher but then moved up the order. His style of attacking from the word go is what made him an indispensable asset in a deep batting line-up. The mindset is also a factor behind KKRs lack of centurions since Brendan McCullum scored his in 2008.

In this season, Rahul Tripathi is making use of his price tag nicely. He is coming in during the middle-overs, given a stable position in the line-up and making his chances count. Five games in and Rahul Tripathi has an average of 57, a strike-rate of 178 ad 171 runs. He has found an able partner in Aiden Markaram as both have combined well to form a couple of decent partnerships in run-chases for SRH. With both doing well and Nicholas Pooran around as well, the weak SRH middle order in the past is now their strong point.

His knock against KKR was an example of his ability. Facing the pace of Cummins, Tripathi used the dimensions of the ground well and attack fine leg nicely. He also bought out his signature flick through mid-wicket while taking on Andre Russell on other occasions. While facing the major threats in KKR, Rahul Tripathi discovered methods to negate Varun Chakravarthy.

He shifted gears effortlessly and was on his way very soon in the run chase. The changing of gears where in typical Tripathi manner as Rahul Tripathi looked unfazed against pace and spin. His middle order ability is giving SRH a strong boost as they have some wonderful talents in the line-up and have a strong chance of extending their win streak.

Eyeing a maiden IPL title, the fancied Delhi Capitals will face another litmus test in the form of a KKR unit brimming with optimism when the two sides lock horns in the second qualifier on Wednesday. Delhi Capitals failed in their first big test when they lost to Chennai Super Kings in the first qualifier and another defeat will mean there will be no more examination for the strong squad, led by India wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant. Two-time winners KKR will take confidence from their victory against Royal Challengers Bangalore in Monday’s eliminator.

After being put in to bat first, Delhi Capitals batters could only post a below-par 135 for 5 in stipulated 20 overs. KKR bowlers kept things tight for Delhi batters from the start of the innings and prevented their batting-heavy side from posting a decent total on a sluggish Sharjah surface. Delhi Capitals – who lost the Qualifier 1 against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) – were once again off to a slow start in the all-important knock-out game. No batter could provide Delhi with the impetus the team needed all through the innings and as a result coach Ricky Ponting’s boys could only post 135 on the board.

Openers Prithvi Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan started the innings for Delhi at a slow pace as KKR bowled in the right areas. Shaw was trapped in front by in-form Varun Chakravarthy for 18 in the fifth over. Delhi, thus, lost their opener in the powerplay and the middle-order kept struggling against a quality spin bowling attack from Kolkata. The trio of Chakravarthy, Sunil Narine, and Shakib Al Hasan kept things tight for the opposition batsmen- who couldn’t accelerate their innings.

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KKR lost many wickets, made easy match look tough

Senior opener Dhawan top-scored for the side with 36 off 39 deliveries but failed to convert the start into a big knock. The southpaw, who took seven deliveries to get off the mark, was dismissed for 36 off 39 deliveries. Captain Pant had another terrible outing with the bat as he was dismissed for six. Australia all-rounder Marcus Stoinis – who was included in the playing eleven against KKR with an aim to strengthen batting- faced 23 deliveries but could only muster 18 runs in his innings after being sent in to bat at number three.

Later, Shimron Hetmyer and Shreyas Iyer (17 off 10) and Shreyas Iyer (30* off 27 balls) played some shots to take Delhi past the 130-run mark. At the toss, Delhi Capitals’ captain Pant spoke about the inclusion of Stoinis and the decision for dropping England all-rounder Tom Curran. “We needed an extra batsman in these kinds of tracks, so Marcus Stoinis comes in. Tom Curran is out,” Pant said. The decision to include Stoinis looked like a tactical move from coach Ponting and after Delhi batters once again failed to score a decent total on the board meme fest was triggered on social media.

Rahul Tripathi is KKR’s hero. He was watching wickets tumble and all the madness from the other end. But he holds his nerve and hits it out of the park. Heartbreak for R Ashwin. Heartbreak for Delhi Capitals. Joy for Kolkata Knight Riders who reach their 3rd final. Eoin Morgan must be more relieved than happy.

Needing 136 runs to win from 120 balls, Venkatesh Iyer and Shubman Gill got their side off to a blistering start. They stitched an unbeaten half-century opening stand to take KKR to 51/0 by the end of the Powerplay. The duo continued in the same vein, taking KKR to 76/0 in 10 overs. Venkatesh Iyer went on to register his third IPL 50 before being dismissed on 55 by Kagiso Rabada. Varun would have had his third had it not been for a no-ball saving Shimron Hetmyer. Shubman Gill took a brilliant diving catch but it was in vain. Eventually, a late blitz from Shreyas Iyer en route to his unbeaten 30 off 27 balls, took Delhi to 135/5 in 20 overs.