Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders will play the first match of IPL 2025, on March 22 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Here is how their squad looks compared to last year.
Despite making some changes, defending champions KKR have retained their core. Their 2025 squad consists of their long-serving Caribbean T20 legends, Andre Russell and Sunil Narine – two of many of their usual mix of batters who can bowl and bowlers who can hit.
Ajinkya Rahane will lead them this time, putting an end to speculations around Venkatesh Iyer (whom they spent INR 23.5 crore on) being appointed for the role.
KKR squad 2025: Who's out?
KKR released several cricketers ahead of the 2025 auction. Most significant of them was Shreyas Iyer, who had led them to their first IPL title in a decade. Other big names included Nitish Rana, who had led them in 2023, Mitchell Starc, and Phil Salt. They also released the likes of – as mentioned above – Venkatesh, Anukul Roy, and some others that they got back from the auction.
Players released by KKR ahead of IPL 2025: Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, KS Bharat, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Rahmanullah Gurbaz*, Nitish Rana, Sherfane Rutherford*, Phil Salt*, Anukul Roy, Vaibhav Arora, Dushmantha Chameera*, Allah Ghazanfar*, Chetan Sakariya, Sakib Hussain, Mitchell Starc*, Suyash Sharma.
*= overseas player
KKR squad 2025: Who's in?
At the auction, KKR re-acquired cricketers like Venkatesh, Anukul, Manish Pandey, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, and some others, who were part of the 2024 campaign. They also got overseas players like Quinton de Kock, Rovman Powell, Anrich Nortje, Spencer Johnson, and Moeen Ali.
Other acquisitions included Rahane, who will lead them in 2025; leg-spinner Mayank Markande; fast bowler Umran Malik; and back-up keeper Luvnith Sisodia.
KKR squad 2025: Full player list
Ajinkya Rahane (c), Venkatesh Iyer (vc), Quinton de Kock* (wk), Rovman Powell* (wk), Rahmanullah Gurbaz* (wk), Luvnith Sisodia (wk), Manish Pandey, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Ramandeep Singh, Rinku Singh, Moeen Ali*, Sunil Narine*, Andre Russell*, Anukul Roy, Vaibhav Arora, Spencer Johnson*, Mayank Markande, Anrich Nortje*, Umran Malik, Varun Chakravarthy.
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