The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), the defending IPL champions, have always held a special place in the hearts of cricket fans for their exhilarating performances. KKR’s historic tradition is significantly anchored in courage and flair, having won the prized title three times, the most recent of which happened last season.
However, their decision to part ways with Shreyas Iyer ahead of the 2025 IPL Mega Auction shocked the cricketing world. Despite this unexpected approach, the franchise has doubled down on its basic strengths, retaining fan favorites like Rinku Singh and Varun Chakaravarthy‘s spin mastery. Along with stalwarts like Sunil Narine, the ever-explosive Andre Russell, and promising young players Harshit Rana and Ramandeep Singh, KKR has built a foundation capable of performing under pressure.
Their auction plan was equally planned, bringing back familiar faces like Venkatesh Iyer, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, and Vaibhav Arora.
The addition of global T20 superstars like Quinton de Kock, Anrich Nortje, Rovman Powell, Spencer Johnson, and Moeen Ali adds depth and diversity to the group.
KKR Retained Players Ahead of IPL 2025 Auction
| Player | Nationality | Role | Price |
| Rinku Singh | India | Batter | ₹13 Crore |
| Andre Russell | West Indies | All-Rounder | ₹12 Crore |
| Sunil Narine | West Indies | All-Rounder | ₹12 Crore |
| Varun Chakaravarthy | India | Bowler | ₹12 Crore |
| Harshit Rana | India | Bowler | ₹4 Crore |
| Ramandeep Singh | India | All-Rounder | ₹4 Crore |
KKR New Additions: Full Players List from IPL 2025 Auction
| Player | Nationality | Role | Price |
| Venkatesh Iyer | India | Allrounder | 23.75 Cr |
| Quinton de Kock | South Africa | WK-Batter | 3.60 Cr |
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz | Afghanistan | WK-Batter | 2.00 Cr |
| Anrich Nortje | South Africa | Bowler | 6.50 Cr |
| Angkrish Raghuvanshi | India | Batter | 3.00 Cr |
| Vaibhav Arora | India | Bowler | 1.80 Cr |
| Mayank Markande | India | Bowler | 30.0 L |
| Rovman Powell | West Indies | Allrounder | 1.50 Cr |
| Manish Pandey | India | Batter | 75.0 L |
| Spencer Johnson | Australia | Bowler | 2.80 Cr |
| Luvnith Sisodia | India | WK-Batter | 30.0 L |
| Ajinkya Rahane | India | Batter | 1.50 Cr |
| Anukul Roy | India | Allrounder | 40.0 L |
| Moeen Ali | England | Allrounder | 2.00 Cr |
| Umran Malik | India | Bowler | 75.0 L |
KKR: Full Squad and Players List for IPL 2025
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.
