The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) tried their best to buy back as many of their former players as they could at the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL). That was understandable as the Knight Riders bulldozed their way to their third IPL title earlier this year.
While Kolkata couldn't bring back the likes of Phil Salt and Shreyas Iyer, they managed to secure a good portion of their core. They also made a couple of smart cut-price signings that added depth to their roster. Predicting their ideal XII is a simple task.
KKR's squad for IPL 2025: Rinku Singh, Rovman Powell, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Manish Pandey, Luvnith Sisodia, Ajinkya Rahane, Quinton de Kock, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Venkatesh Iyer, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Ramandeep Singh, Anukul Roy, Moeen Ali, Varun Chakaravarthy, Mayank Markande, Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, Anrich Nortje, Spencer Johnson, Umran Malik.
On that note, here is KKR's strongest side, including an impact player, for IPL 2025.
Openers: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk) and Sunil Narine
The newly signed Quinton de Kock might be KKR's favorite to open the batting alongside Sunil Narine, but Rahmanullah Gurbaz could partner the West Indian better. Narine's numbers against off-spin have dipped recently, and partnering him with De Kock, who also struggles against that matchup, wouldn't be ideal. Gurbaz is also an immensely talented player who is nearing his prime.
Middle order: Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Venkatesh Iyer (c), Manish Pandey, Andre Russell, Rinku Singh, Ramandeep Singh
While it will be without Shreyas Iyer and Nitish Rana, KKR's middle order will wear a similar look to the one that took them to the trophy in IPL 2024. Angkrish Raghuvanshi will bat at No. 3, followed by the expensive Venkatesh Iyer.
Venkatesh might also be announced as the captain of the side, which would explain Kolkata's huge interest in reacquiring his services. He is perhaps the best option at the team's disposal, with Ajinkya Rahane and Manish Pandey not being sure starters.
Rahane endured a dreadful campaign in IPL 2024, and Pandey could thus pip him to a spot in the side. The exciting Luvnith Sisodia is another option, but the southpaw prefers batting at the top of the order, where there are no vacancies.
The power-hitting trio of Andre Russell, Rinku Singh, and Ramandeep Singh will round off the middle order, with their presence being one of KKR's biggest strengths.
Lower order: Harshit Rana, Anrich Nortje, Varun Chakaravarthy, Vaibhav Arora
KKR's bowling attack, like their middle order, is near-identical to the one that played a huge role in their title win. Mitchell Starc being replaced by Anrich Nortje might be the only change, with Spencer Johnson serving as the South African fast bowler's backup.
Varun Chakaravarthy will partner Narine in the spin attack, with Harshit Rana and Vaibhav Arora leading the way in the domestic spin department. Umran Malik, as the only backup on the bench, could have to wait for his chance.
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