Indian Premier League 2025 mega auction, hosted in Jeddah on November 24 and 25, brought together all 10 franchises in a high-stakes battle to assemble squads for the upcoming season. Teams made bold moves and executed well-thought-out strategies as they aimed to secure the best talent for their title aspirations.
Kolkata Knight Riders, the defending champions, surprised their fans by not retaining their 2024 title-winning skipper Shreyas Iyer. Instead, the franchise made headlines by splurging on all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer, signaling a shift in their strategy. KKR ensured stability by retaining their core group of players, including Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy, and Ramandeep Singh. Over the two days of the auction, they brought in 15 players to complete their squad for the title defense.
Their second-biggest purchase at the auction table was South African pacer Anrich Nortje, a much-needed buy after Mitchell Starc signed with Delhi Capitals. Nortje is expected to lead their pace attack with his express speed and consistency. KKR bolstered their top order by two quality opening wicket-keeper batters in Quinton de Kock and Rahmanullah Gurbaz for a combined ₹5.60 crore, allowing flexibility and explosive starts.
Another notable change was the departure of Nitish Rana, who joined Rajasthan Royals after six years of loyal service to KKR. To fill the void, the franchise opted for Caribbean power-hitter Rovman Powell, acquired for ₹1.50 crore, adding depth and firepower to their middle order.
With a balanced squad that combines experience and emerging talents, KKR looks set to defend their title.
KKR Players List 2025
| Player Name | Player Salary |
| Venkatesh Iyer | Rs. 23.75 crore |
| Rinku Singh | Rs. 13 crore |
| Varun Chakaravarthy | Rs. 12 crore |
| Sunil Narine | Rs. 12 crore |
| Andre Russell | Rs. 12 crore |
| Anrich Nortje | Rs. 6.50 crore |
| Harshit Rana | Rs. 4 crore |
| Ramandeep Singh | Rs. 4 crore |
| Quinton de Kock | Rs. 3.60 crore |
| Angkrish Raghuvanshi | Rs. 3 crore |
| Spencer Johnson | Rs. 2.80 crore |
| Rovman Powell | Rs. 1.50 crore |
| Vaibhav Arora | Rs. 1.80 crore |
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz | Rs. 2 crore |
| Moeen Ali | Rs. 2 crore |
| Mayank Markande | Rs. 30 lakh |
| Luvnith Sisodia | Rs. 30 lakh |
| Manish Pandey | Rs. 75 lakh |
| Umran Malik | Rs. 75 lakh |
| Anukul Roy | Rs. 40 lakh |
| Ajinkya Rahane | Rs. 1.50 lakh |
Strongest KKR Playing XI
- Quinton de Kock (wk)
- Sunil Narine
- Ajinkya Rahane
- Venkatesh Iyer
- Ramandeep Singh
- Andre Russell
- Rinku Singh
- Harshit Rana
- Varun Chakaravarthy
- Vaibhav Arora
- Anrich Nortje
IPL Auction 2025 Players List
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.
KKR Retained Players
Rinku Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Harshit Rana, Ramandeep Singh.
