Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have announced Ajinkya Rahane as their captain and Venkatesh Iyer as their vice-captain for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.
The defending IPL champions had previously released their captain, Shreyas Iyer, prior to the IPL 2025 mega auction in November, resulting in a vacant leadership position that needed to be filled.
Rahane, who did not find a buyer in the first round of the auction, was subsequently purchased by KKR for his base price of INR 1.5 crore in the mega auction. Shreyas Iyer, on the other hand, went to Punjab Kings.
ALSO READ IPL 2025 Schedule: Time Table, Venues, Match List, Points Table
‘We are delighted to have someone like Ajinkya Rahane’ – KKR CEO Venky Mysore
KKR CEO Venky Mysore expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “We are delighted to have someone like Ajinkya Rahane, who brings his experience and maturity as a leader. Also, Venkatesh Iyer has been a franchise player for KKR and brings a lot of leadership qualities. We are confident that they will combine well as we start the defense of our title.”
‘I think we have an excellent and balanced squad’ – Ajinkya Rahane on his captaincy stint with KKR
Rahane also expressed his gratitude towards KKR and said, “It’s an honour 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.”
Notably, it will be Rahane’s second stint playing for KKR. He was with them in 2022 but could not perform well, managing 133 runs at a strike rate of 103.90 from seven games before he was let go.
ALSO READ King of IPL and Cricket – Virat Kohli
Rahane has captained 25 IPL matches in his overall career, with nine wins and 16 defeats. He has previously served as the skipper of Rajasthan Royals for 24 matches from 2018-19, and the Rising Pune Super Giants for a single match during 2017.
Venkatesh Iyer named KKR’s Vice-Captain for IPL 2025
Venkatesh Iyer, a crucial member of KKR’s title-winning team in the previous season, was re-purchased by the franchise at a whopping INR 23.75 crore in the auction. He became the third-most expensive player in the auction and the fourth-most expensive overall. He was a crucial performer last season, scoring 370 runs at a strike rate of 158.79.
Meanwhile, KKR will begin their IPL 2025 campaign against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at their home ground, the Eden Gardens on March 22. KKR won their third IPL title 2024 defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad in the final.
