Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) made a splash on Day 1 of the IPL 2025 auction by acquiring Venkatesh Iyer for a record ₹23.75 crore, making him the third most expensive player in IPL history.
KKR is one of the most successful franchises in IPL history, with all their title-winning seasons linked to Gautam Gambhir. The former Indian opener led the team to victory in 2012 and 2014 before returning as a mentor in 2024 to help guide them to another championship. Here is the complete list of KKR IPL 2025 squad.
Retained Players List of Kolkata Knight Riders
- Rinku Singh:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â INR 13 crore
- Varun Chakravarthy:Â Â Â INR 12 crore
- Sunil Narine:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â INR 12 croreÂ
- Andre Russell: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â INR12 crore
- Harshit Rana:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â INR 4 croreÂ
- Ramandeep Singh:Â Â Â Â INR 4 croreÂ
Players Bought By Kolkata Knight Riders
- Venkatesh Iyer: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 23.75 crore
- Quinton de Kock: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 3.60 crore
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz: Â Â Â Â 2 crore
- Anrich Nortje:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 6.50 crore
- Angkrish Raghuvanshi:Â Â Â Â 3 crore
- Vaibhav Arora: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 1.80 crore
- Mayank Markande: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 30 lacs
- Rovman Powell: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 1.50 crore
- Manish Pandey:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 75 lacs
- Spencer Johnson: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 2.80 crore
- Luvnith Sisodia: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 30 lacs
- Ajinkya Rahane:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 1.50 lacs
- Anukul Roy: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 40 lacs
- Moeen Ali:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 2 crore
- Umran Malik:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 75 lacs
Full Player List Key
- Batters: Rinku Singh, Quinton De Kock, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Rovman Powell, Manish Pandey, Luvnith Sisodia, Ajinkya Rahane.
- Wicketkeepers: Quinton De Kock, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Luvnith Sisodia
- All-rounders: Venkatesh Iyer, Anukul Roy, Moeen Ali, Ramandeep Singh, Andre RussellÂ
- Bowlers: Anru h Nortje, Vaibhav Aroraz Mayank Markande, Spencer Johnson, Umran Malik, Harshit Rana, Sunil Narine, Varun Chakaravarthy
Highlights From The AuctionÂ
Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) made a significant impact during the IPL 2025 auction. On Day 1, they acquired Venkatesh Iyer for a record ₹23.75 crore, making him the third most expensive player in IPL history. This bold move underscores KKR’s commitment to strengthening their squad.
On Day 2, KKR continued to enhance their fast bowling attack by signing Umran Malik and Australian Spencer Johnson, adding more pace to their lineup. The team also welcomed back key players Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Vaibhav Arora, retaining much of their core from the previous season.
Other notable acquisitions included South African players Anrich Nortje and Quinton de Kock, further bolstering their batting and bowling options.
Leadership And Coaching
Captain: KKR has added match winners to the team, including South African players Anrich Nortje and Quinton de Kock, further bolstering their batting and bowling options. If all goes well, Venkatesh Iyer may be appointed as captain for the upcoming season.
Coach: Chandrakant Pandit continues to lead the team with his tactical expertise, bringing his success in domestic cricket to the IPL stage. James Foster plays a key role in overall team strategy and player development. Bowling Coaches: Bharat Arun oversees the bowling unit, while Carl Crowe focuses specifically on spin bowling.
| Players | Role | Price (INR) |
| Rinku Singh | Batter | 13 cr |
| Varun Chakravarthy | Bowler | 12 cr |
| Sunil Narine | All-rounder | 12cr |
| Andre Russell | All-rounder | 12 cr |
| Ramandeep Singh | All-rounder | 4cr |
| Harshit Rana | Bowler | 4 cr |
| Venkatesh Iyer | All-rounder | 23.75 cr |
| Quinton de Kock | Wicketkeeper | 3.6 cr |
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz | Wicketkeeper | 2 cr |
| Anrich Nortje | Bowler | 6.5 cr |
| Angkrish Raghuvanshi | Batter | 3 cr |
| Vaibhav Arora | Bowler | 1.8 cr |
| Mayank Markande | Bowler | 30 lakhs |
| Rovman Powell | All-rounder | 1.5 cr |
| Manish Pandey | Batter | 75 lakhs |
| Spencer Johnson | Wicketkeeper | 2.8 cr |
| Luvnith Sisodia | Wicketkeeper | 30 lakhs |
| Ajinkya Rahane | Batter | 1.5 cr |
| Anukul Roy | All-rounder | 40 lakhs |
| Moeen Ali | All-rounder | 2 cr |
| Umran Malik | Bowler | 75 Lakhs |
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have made strategic moves in the IPL 2025 auction, acquiring key players like Venkatesh Iyer for a record ₹23.75 crore and strengthening their squad with notable signings such as Quinton de Kock and Anrich Nortje. With a solid mix of experienced and emerging talents, KKR aims to compete fiercely for their fourth IPL title.
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