Picture Credit: BCCI/IPL
With all ten franchises retaining their respective set of players, the action will now shift to the teams strategizing to rope in the best talent at the IPL 2025 mega auction, set to take place later this month in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. On the auction table, a lot of eyes will be on the defending champions, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). They will be searching for a new captain after letting go of their captain from last season, Shreyas Iyer. Luckily, there are many captaincy options available in the auction that KKR can target.
Speaking of the retention, KKR retained six players ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction, including Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Rinku Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, and two uncapped players in Ramandeep Singh and Harshit Rana. Rinku Singh was the most expensive retention at INR 13 Crore. KKR spent a total of INR 57 Crore to keep these players, but due to the revamped retention rules, KKR's budget was reduced by INR 69 Crore, which leaves them with just INR 51 Crore for the mega auction.
Three players who can lead KKR in IPL 2025
1. Aiden Markram
Aiden Markram is one of the best foreign captaincy options available in the IPL 2025 auction. The 30-year-old is the current captain of the South Africa national cricket team, and has previously captained Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2023, as well as leading Sunrisers Eastern Cape to victory in the SA20.
With Markram being released by SRH ahead of the auction, KKR might be interested in this right-handed batter from South Africa. He could be an ideal choice for KKR as a captain and opener if they are unable to bring back Phil Salt in the auction. Markram has played 44 matches in his IPL career, scoring 995 runs at an average of 30.15, with a strike rate of 129.72. He could fill in the shoes of Shreyas Iyer, providing a like-for-like replacement with strong captaincy experience.
From a budget perspective, Markram also aligns with KKR's needs, as they have only INR 51 Crore remaining to build their team. While Markram may attract multiple bidders, he is unlikely to exceed the INR 10 Crore mark, making him a valuable choice if KKR is seeking a foreign player to lead in IPL 2025.
2. Nitish Rana
Nitish Rana is an Indian captaincy option that KKR could consider, as he has previously led the team in IPL 2023 in the absence of Shreyas Iyer, scoring 413 runs. He is a left-handed batter with the ability to anchor the innings as well as score quickly when the team needs it. He has shown promising results as captain, and could be a strong choice for KKR.
KKR bought Nitish Rana in IPL 2018 for INR 3.40 Crore, and he has been an integral part of the team since then. The 30-year-old has played 107 matches in the IPL, scoring 2,636 runs at an average of 28.65, with a strike rate of 135.04. He serves as a like-for-like replacement for Shreyas Iyer, capable of batting in the middle order, anchoring the innings, scoring quickly when needed, and providing experienced leadership.
The left-hander was also part of Mumbai Indians before joining KKR, so MI might have an eye on him in the auction, along with other teams seeking an Indian middle-order batter. He is expected to go around INR 7-8 Crore mark in the auction, so KKR might be able to get him back comfortably within their budget.
3. Rishabh Pant
One of the most shocking releases in the IPL 2025 retentions was Rishabh Pant's release by the Delhi Capitals. He served as their captain last season and is currently one of India’s best wicket-keeper batters. Given KKR’s budget, acquiring Rishabh Pant in the auction won’t be easy, as teams with larger purses like Punjab Kings and RCB will also be interested in signing the star batter.
However, KKR has already retained some strong players, including Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Rinku Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, and two uncapped players in Ramandeep Singh and Harshit Rana. This lineup allows them the flexibility to invest heavily in Rishabh Pant, leaving only a need to purchase a few domestic and two-three quality foreign players to complete a solid squad with Pant as captain.
Buying the 27-year-old in the auction will require solid planning. He is expected to break the highest auction price records in this mega auction, potentially reaching the INR 25 Crore mark. Pant would be a valuable addition, offering captaincy potential, wicket-keeping skills, and powerful hitting. In the IPL, Rishabh has played 111 matches, scoring 3,284 runs with an average of 35.31 and an impressive strike rate of 148.93.
