A new captain whose place in the side isn’t certain, a vice-captain tasked with filling big boots, and a bowling attack that might be missing its sting—a brand-new Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will take the field, aiming to shine their armour and defend their title.
Last season, under former captain Shreyas Iyer, KKR defeated a Pat Cummins-led Sunrisers Hyderabad in the final to clinch the Indian Premier League (IPL) trophy for the first time in a decade—becoming champions for the third time.
The mega auction for IPL 2025 in Jeddah threw up several surprises from KKR. They spent a massive ₹23.75 crore on Venkatesh Iyer alone, breaking the bank and leaving little room to replace their title-winning captain and ace foreign fast bowler. The management later admitted they were caught up in the demand-supply dynamics of the auction.
Nevertheless, KKR retained a significant core of their title-winning team, including Varun Chakravarthy, Ramandeep Singh, Rinku Singh, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, and Harshit Rana. Additionally, they added 15 new players to the squad, ensuring a versatile lineup with strong backups to maintain team balance.
The team will rely on seasoned professionals to provide consistency, while Iyer will be determined to silence his critics and showcase his leadership potential. With that, here’s an analysis of the defending champions’ strengths, weaknesses, and key takeaways.
KKR IPL Squad 2025
Sunil Narine, Rinku Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Venkatesh Iyer, Quinton de Kock, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, AnrichNortje, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Vaibhav Arora, Mayank Markande, Rovman Powell, Manish Pandey, Spencer Johnson, Luvnith Sisodia, Ajinkya Rahane, Anukul Roy, Moeen Ali, Umran Malik.
Strengths
KKR boast a well-settled and experienced batting unit. With Phil Salt not retained this season, they will likely open with Sunil Narine and either of Quinton de Kock or Rahmanullah Gurbaz, all of whom will have a licence to attack. Gurbaz, a key member of the squad for over two seasons, is expected to be the backup for these two. The team also has a promising young talent in AngkrishRaghuvanshi, to take up the mantle if required.
Following them, Iyer and new captain Ajinkya Rahane round out a solid top order. Rahane was instrumental in Mumbai’s SMAT 2024 triumph, finishing as the team’s top run-getter and scoring a match-winning 98 in the semi-final against Baroda. KKR’s finishing power remains intact with Russell, Rinku, and Ramandeep.
The team also retains a strong spin attack, led by recent ICC Champions Trophy winner Varun, who took 20 and 21 wickets in the last two seasons. The experienced Sunil Narine also had a stellar IPL last season with the ball. These two will further be supported by Mayank Markandeand Anukul Roy.
Weaknesses
KKR struggled to find a reliable captain to replace Shreyas. Their decision to go all-in for Venkatesh at the auction left them out of the race for established leaders like KL Rahul, who was signed for three-fifths of Iyer’s ₹23.75 crore price tag. Given the hefty investment, many expected Venkateshto take on the leadership role immediately.
However, the management opted for a safer choice in Rahane as captain—a player who struggled in IPL 2024 with CSK and was ultimately dropped. His consistent selection could come under scrutiny if he fails to deliver.
Additionally, KKR’s Indian pace unit isn’t the strongest. Harshit, still in his formative years and having recently debuted for India across formats, will be leading the attack.
Another concern is the fitness management of key players like Narine, Russell, and Anrich Nortje over a long tournament like the IPL. The team lacks solid backups for all of them. Furthermore, game-changing, impactful substitutes are limited, with Ramandeep, who excelled in this role, now likely to be a starter.
Opportunities
KKR has a strong blend of youth and experience, providing young players the opportunity to develop under proper guidance. The Indian pace unit, led by Harshit, under former India bowling coach Bharat Arun, will have time to grow.
However, the team hold a strong list of all-rounders whom they will fully utilise to fill in the gaps by injury prone players.
Threats
Injuries to key players could disrupt team balance and hurt KKR’s title defence. Over-reliance on Indian stars could also prove costly, especially if the team struggles to adapt to the strategies of the new captain.
Additionally, strong opposition squads like MI, SRH, and CSK pose serious threats, making a title defence much tougher for a team undergoing significant changes.
Final Thoughts
Overall, KKR look well-equipped to defend their title, and anything less than a top-four finish would be deemed unacceptable by the management. However, much of their success will depend on Venkatesh stepping up to fill Shreyas’s shoes and how well the team and management adjust to Rahane’s captaincy.