Losing a captain after winning a championship is tough, but that's exactly what Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) face as they enter the 2025 IPL season. Shreyas Iyer's departure leaves a leadership void, and replacing him won't be easy.

Captaincy Changes and Squad Overhaul

KKR has entrusted the captaincy to Ajinkya Rahane, who recently led Mumbai to a domestic T20 title with a remarkable strike rate of 166. Despite Venkatesh Iyer's hefty INR 23.75 crore price tag and vice-captaincy status, the leadership mantle has gone to the experienced Rahane.

Adding to KKR's challenges, Gautam Gambhir, Abhishek Nayar, and Ryan ten Doeschate have also exited the support staff, leaving a strategic gap. However, KKR has brought in Ottis Gibson as assistant coach and Dwayne Bravo as a mentor, hoping to inject fresh ideas.

KKR's Squad for IPL 2025

Full Squad:
Ajinkya Rahane (c), Venkatesh Iyer (vc), Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Varun Chakaravarthy, Harshit Rana, Ramandeep Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Quinton de Kock (wk), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Mayank Markande, Anrich Nortje, Vaibhav Arora, Manish Pandey, Luvnith Sisodia (wk), Anukul Roy, Rovman Powell, Moeen Ali, Chetan Sakariya, Spencer Johnson

Best Playing XI:
Sunil Narine, Quinton de Kock (wk), Ajinkya Rahane (c), Venkatesh Iyer, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Spencer Johnson, Vaibhav Arora, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy

Injury and Availability Updates

Fast bowler Umran Malik is ruled out of the season and has been replaced by Chetan Sakariya. Anrich Nortje, returning from injuries, remains uncertain for the start of the season but is crucial in filling the void left by Mitchell Starc.

Players to Watch

Venkatesh Iyer: As KKR's most expensive player and vice-captain, Venkatesh faces mounting pressure to deliver. Despite flashes of brilliance, consistency has eluded him. With a pivotal role this season, all eyes will be on his performance.

Angkrish Raghuvanshi: At just 20, Raghuvanshi has shown promise, notably scoring 54 off 27 balls in his second IPL match. With a middle-order spot open, he has the chance to shine further.

Fixture Analysis

Unlike last season's extended home run, KKR's 2025 fixtures involve frequent travel. Their campaign opens at Eden Gardens but never exceeds two consecutive home games. Their last two league matches are away, making early momentum crucial.

Home Ground Insights

Eden Gardens Performance:

  • Sunil Narine - 59 matches, 70 wickets, average 19.96, economy rate 6.33

  • Varun Chakaravarthy - 15 matches, 21 wickets, average 24.29, economy rate 9.00

Despite Eden Gardens' shift towards batting-friendly pitches, Narine and Chakaravarthy have maintained impressive records. Their control will be key to KKR's success this season.