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3 KKR Stars Who Could Be Released Before IPL 2026 Auction

Sreejita Sen

They might be released from KKR's squad after a poor show in the IPL 2025.

The three-time Indian Premier League (IPL) champions, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), would look to find some key answers while building up their squad in the IPL 2026 auction. The franchise failed to continue with their championship-winning core group from the IPL 2024, as they could retain only six players from that edition for the last edition, earlier this year.

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Romania ROM

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Romania ROM

Czech Republic CZR

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24 Aug 2025, 03:45 PM IST
Romania ROM

Czech Republic CZR

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Austria AUST

Belgium BEL

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Belgium BEL

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Middlesex MID

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Kent KENT

Somerset SOM

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Sussex SUSS

Yorkshire YOR

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Essex ESS

Gloucestershire GLO

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Leicestershire LEI

Worcestershire WOR

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Hampshire HAM

Derbyshire DER

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ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier Division 1, 2025
24 Aug 2025, 07:15 PM IST
Italy Women ITA-W

Netherlands Women NED-W

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CECC CEC-A

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ACE KRM Panthers KRMPS

SBS CC SBSCC

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Kochi Blue Tigers KBTS

Alleppey Ripples ALRS

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Thrissur Titans TTS

Calicut Globstars CAGS

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Adani Trivandrum Royals ATR

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Kochi Blue Tigers KBTS

Aries Kollam Sailors ARKS

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Majees Titans MAT

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Australia AUS

South Africa SA

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Sunshine Coast SSC

31/0

Sandgate Redcliffe SGR

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Wynnum Manly WYN

16/2

Redlands RLS

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Toombul TMB

Valley VLLY

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South Brisbane SBB

Ipswich IPS

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Western Suburbs WSS

University of Queensland UOQ

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Sandgate Redcliffe SGR

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Redlands RLS

Sunshine Coast SSC

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24 Aug 2025, 08:45 AM IST
Gold Coast GCT

University of Queensland UOQ

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24 Aug 2025, 12:00 PM IST
Northern Suburbs NSBB

Valley VLLY

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London Spirit LOS

Southern Brave SOB

Upcoming – 100-ball – United Kingdom
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Trent Rockets TRR

Upcoming – 100-ball – Manchester
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Manchester Originals MAO

Birmingham Phoenix BIP

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23 Aug 2025, 03:30 PM IST
Northern Superchargers Women NOS-W

Oval Invincibles Women OIW-W

Upcoming – 100-ball – London
The Hundred Women’s Competition, 2025
23 Aug 2025, 07:00 PM IST
London Spirit Women LSW-W

Southern Brave Women SBW-W

Upcoming – 100-ball – United Kingdom
The Hundred Women’s Competition, 2025
24 Aug 2025, 03:30 PM IST
Welsh Fire Women WFW-W

Trent Rockets Women TRW-W

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Manchester Originals Women MOW-W

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162/7

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24 Aug 2025, 12:00 PM IST
TBC TBC

TBC TBC

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23 Aug 2025, 03:00 PM IST
Kashi Rudras KARS

Meerut Mavericks MEMA

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Uttar Pradesh T20 League, 2025
23 Aug 2025, 07:30 PM IST
Gorakhpur Lions GOLS

Kanpur Superstars KASS

Upcoming – t20 – Lucknow
Uttar Pradesh T20 League, 2025
24 Aug 2025, 03:00 PM IST
Meerut Mavericks MEMA

Noida Super Kings NOSK

Upcoming – t20 – Lucknow
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24 Aug 2025, 07:30 PM IST
Kashi Rudras KARS

Lucknow Falcons LUF

Their greatest setback was to let go of their title-winning captain Shreyas Iyer, who led the Punjab Kings (PBKS) to their maiden IPL Final in 10 years, in the latest season. However, the Men in Purple struggled to figure out their playing XI combination throughout the season. Moreover, several players’ decline in form resulted in a dismal campaign for the reigning champions in the IPL 2025.

Let’s take a look at three KKR stars, whom the franchise might release ahead of the IPL 2026 player auction, to find better picks for the slot.

Quinton de Kock

The former Mumbai Indians (MI) gloveman, Quinton de Kock, joined the KKR squad for INR 3.60 crores. The South African opener started off the campaign for his new franchise with a sublime 97 not out off 61 balls in the second league-stage fixture. This guided KKR to an eight-wicket victory over the Rajasthan Royals (RR).

But the Proteas star could not continue the momentum in the league afterward. Eventually, he was dropped from the KKR lineup after eight matches of the IPL 2025. His stats of only 152 runs at a below-par average of 21.71 indicate that he is most likely not to be retained by the management ahead of the next edition.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz

The Afghanistani wicketkeeper-batter, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, replaced opener de Kock in KKR’s playing XI. But he also endured a lean patch of form and managed to score just 74 runs in his limited five-match appearance in the season.

Notably, the player has put up only 363 runs in 19 matches across three seasons at a strike rate of 134.94 since his IPL debut for KKR in 2023. The management may look to release him to fix their opening slot issue ahead of the upcoming edition of this cash-rich league.

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Venkatesh Iyer

The biggest name on this list could be KKR’s costliest signing of the previous edition, Venkatesh Iyer. After retaining six players, including Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Rinku Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy and Harshit Rana, they went all in for the Madhya Pradesh batter in the IPL 2025 auction. After an intense bidding war, KKR finally acquired the southpaw for a massive amount of INR 23.75 crores.

But the 30-year-old failed to justify the huge price tag by his name. Venkatesh also lost his usual spot of No.3 to the new KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane and often came lower into the batting order. Apart from a blistering 29-ball 60 against the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in their fourth match of the league, he managed to score only 82 runs in the remaining 10 matches that he played.

The southpaw has been a crucial find of the franchise and a key player since his smashing debut season in the IPL 2021. But considering his subpar performance in the latest edition, KKR may release the batter or trade him, as the IPL 2025 champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have already expressed their interest in the player, ahead of the IPL 2026.

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