Picture : Kolkata Knight Riders/ X
All eyes will be on the defending Champions the Kolkata Knight Riders as they aim for their fourth title having won previously in 2012, 2014, 2024 . This time though they will have new skipper at the helm. Ajinkya Rahane. The man who led them last year to title win Shreyas Iyer has moved on to Punjab Kings. So too has the team mentor Gautam Gambhir, who is now India’s national team Head coach. Gambhir was the skipper when KKR won twice in 2012 and 2014.
The Knight of Knights 😎
Captain Ajinkya Rahane gears up to take command of the defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders 💜#TATAIPL | @ajinkyarahane88 | @KKRiders pic.twitter.com/xbmH2KNhsE
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 18, 2025
KKR is one of the most popular franchise teams and giving the team the star power and appeal among fans is it’s co- owner Bollywood Superstar Shah Rukh Khan and actress Juhi Chawla.
The team appears to fine balanced one with all bases covered . If they can avoid injuries and their form stick they could go all the way again.
The batting line- up impressive with the likes of Rahane, De Kock, Russell, Powell with the fire power, Add to that Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, not to forget Sunil Narine.
With pace of Anrich Nortje , Harshit Rana , Spencer Johnson and the spin in able hands of – Wily experienced former English star Moeen Ali, Sunil Narine, Varun Varun Chakaravarthy, KKR it seems has the best spinning options .
So they have the playing eleven to take on the best. Rahane is an astute skipper. A good IPL could well put in the reckoning for a comeback into the national team for the five- match Test series series against England in July. KKR Team has a motto – #KorboLorboJeetbo
Kolkata Knight Riders Team :
Ajinkya Rahane (C), Rinku Singh, Quinton de Kock, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Wk), Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Rovman Powell, Manish Pandey, Luvnith Sisodia. Venkatesh Iyer, Anukul Roy, Moeen Ali, Ramandeep Singh, Andre Russell
Anrich Nortje, Vaibhav Arora, Mayank Markande, Spencer Johnson, Chetan Sakariya, Harshit Rana, Sunil Narine, Varun Chakaravarthy
Players Retained : Rinku Singh Varun Chakaravarthy Andre Russell Sunil Narine Ramandeep Singh Harshit Rana
