Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) appointed experienced Indian batter Ajinkya Rahane as their captain for IPL 2025 on Monday, March 3, with all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer named as vice-captain for the upcoming season.
Last season, Shreyas Iyer led KKR to their third IPL title, but surprisingly, the franchise chose not to retain him despite his success and did not buy him back at the mega auction in December.
However, KKR retained key players, including Rinku Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Harshit Rana, and Ramandeep Singh. They spent ₹23.75 crore on Venkatesh Iyer at the auction while securing Ajinkya Rahane for ₹1.5 crore.
KKR’s decision to hand over the captaincy to Ajinkya Rahane for IPL 2025 sparked mixed reactions among fans. Here are some negative responses from X:
https://x.com/classic_mojito/status/1896503438000984273?s=46
https://x.com/akashd7781/status/1896505287726809147?s=46
https://x.com/oye_aarchi/status/1896504773614137452?s=46
https://x.com/awaarahoon/status/1896503190629269782?s=46
https://x.com/menscricket/status/1896502312178516201?s=46
Here are some positive responses to the decision:
https://x.com/sujal__21/status/1896508891720233032?s=46
https://x.com/arnitly/status/1896518350479781923?s=46
https://x.com/ipo_lens/status/1896508375053352963?s=46
https://x.com/starckkr/status/1896506234884472980?s=46
“It’s a privilege to be given the responsibility to lead KKR” – Ajinkya Rahane ahead of IPL 2025
Ajinkya Rahane recently conveyed his appreciation for the opportunity to captain Kolkata Knight Riders. He mentioned that the team is well-balanced and is eager for the upcoming season to defend the title. Rahane stated: (via kkr.in)
“It’s an honor to be asked to lead KKR, which has been one of the most successful franchises in the IPL. I think we have an excellent and balanced squad. I look forward to working with everyone and taking up the challenge of defending our title.”
Meanwhile, KKR CEO Venky Mysore expressed his excitement, saying:
“We are thrilled to have Ajinkya Rahane, whose experience and leadership add great value. Additionally, Venkatesh Iyer, a key player for KKR, brings strong leadership qualities. We are confident they will work well together as we begin our title defense.”
KKR will kick off their IPL 2025 campaign against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Kolkata on March 22.
Get the latest cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.
