The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are coming off arguably their most dominant season in Indian Premier League (IPL) history. While they had won two titles prior to the 2024 campaign, neither was achieved with the same level of authority they displayed this year.
KKR topped the league standings with a commanding performance and dismantled the SunRisers Hyderabad in the playoffs to clinch their third IPL title. With several players significantly increasing their market value, retaining their core was always going to be a challenge.
Despite this, Kolkata managed to retain six key players ahead of the IPL 2025 auction: Rinku Singh, Sunil Narine, Varun Chakaravarthy, Andre Russell, Harshit Rana, and Ramandeep Singh. True to their style, the franchise will likely aim to reacquire as many of their former players as possible.
Here are the 3 Players KKR Should Consider Reacquiring at the IPL 2025 Auction:
#1 Shreyas Iyer
Former skipper Shreyas Iyer may not rank among the world’s top T20 batters, but his leadership and experience make him a rare asset. With KKR lacking a clear captain among their retained players, reacquiring Iyer could be a top priority.
Whether KKR can afford him remains uncertain, and the odds seem slim. However, the franchise is known for valuing loyalty, and although the reasons for their split with Shreyas haven’t been disclosed, it’s likely they would gladly have him back.
#2 Phil Salt
Phil Salt proved to be a key player for KKR in IPL 2024. Brought in as a replacement for Jason Roy, the keeper-batter exceeded expectations and formed a dangerous opening partnership with Narine.
Salt has rapidly become one of the top T20 batters globally, and his style is a great fit for KKR’s home ground, Eden Gardens. His price is expected to soar in the IPL 2025 auction, with several teams seeking wicketkeeping options, but KKR will likely be eager to re-sign him and reunite him with Narine at the top of the order.
#3 Angkrish Raghuvanshi
Angkrish Raghuvanshi emerged as one of the standout players of IPL 2024. Stepping up to the top order after Nitish Rana’s injury, the young right-hander seized the opportunity, even keeping his more experienced teammate out of the lineup later in the season.
Raghuvanshi displayed impressive creativity and exceeded expectations for his age. Although his game against spin and outside the powerplay is still developing, his potential is undeniable. Already compared to Suryakumar Yadav, he is expected to be a sought-after player at the IPL 2025 auction.
Though KKR doesn’t have an RTM card to bring Raghuvanshi back, they will likely target young Indian batters to build their future batting lineup.
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