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3 Options For KKR Captaincy If Ajinkya Rahane Is Released Before IPL 2026 Auction

Samarnath Soory

KKR finished eighth in the IPL 2025 table

Ajinkya Rahane’s tenure as Kolkata Knight Riders was riddled with too many complexities. The Mumbai red-ball captain was fresh off a superb campaign in the 2024 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) where he finished as the top-scorer for champions Mumbai with 469 from eight innings at an average of 58 and a strike rate of 164.

He had to captain a side that looked settled on the paper but was riddled with a title-win lethargy and dearly missed the talismanic captaincy of Shreyas Iyer who moved to Punjab Kings after a public spat with the KKR management.

He began the season with a brilliant 56 off 31 balls against Royal Challengers Bengaluru and scored two fifties against Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans and three more 30-plus scores.

Even though his form was better than most of the batters in the KKR line-up, Rahane was unable to hit the high of his SMAT 2024 campaign.

Leading a team which didn’t have the majority of the leadership group from the title-winning season, including batting coach Gautam Gambhir, proved to be a difficult task for Rahane.

An abandoned game followed by a humiliating capitulation against Punjab Kings while chasing 111 took the life out of KKR’s campaign as they finished the season at eighth in the table.

It might be a brief stay for Rahane, who was brought in for his experience and form while acting as a bridge before KKR names their next captain. They might pick some options at the auction. But here are three names from within the current squad that KKR will look at if Rahane is released into the IPL 2026 auction.

Upcoming – t20 – Singapore
Asia-Pacific Cricket Champions Trophy, 2025
26 Jul 2025, 11:30 AM IST
Malaysia MAL

Hong Kong HKG

Upcoming – t20 – Basseterre
Australia tour of West Indies, T20, 2025
26 Jul 2025, 04:30 AM IST
West Indies WI

Australia AUS

Upcoming – t20 – Basseterre
Australia tour of West Indies, T20, 2025
27 Jul 2025, 04:30 AM IST
West Indies WI

Australia AUS

Live – t20 – Rwanda
Bahrain and Malawi tour of Rwanda, 2025
Rwanda RWA

25/3

Bahrain BHN

163/6

Upcoming – t20 – Rwanda
Bahrain and Malawi tour of Rwanda, 2025
25 Jul 2025, 05:15 PM IST
Bahrain BHN

Malawi ML

Upcoming – t20 – Rwanda
Bahrain and Malawi tour of Rwanda, 2025
26 Jul 2025, 05:15 PM IST
Rwanda RWA

Malawi ML

Result – t20 – Hungary
ECN Budapest Cup T20I, 2025
Romania ROM

128/9

Austria AUST

129/3

Austria won by 7 wickets

Toss – t20 – Hungary
ECN Budapest Cup T20I, 2025
25 Jul 2025, 03:00 PM IST
Hungary HUN

Romania ROM

Upcoming – t20 – Hungary
ECN Budapest Cup T20I, 2025
25 Jul 2025, 06:30 PM IST
Hungary HUN

Luxembourg LUX

Upcoming – t20 – Hungary
ECN Budapest Cup T20I, 2025
26 Jul 2025, 11:30 AM IST
Romania ROM

Luxembourg LUX

Upcoming – t20 – Hungary
ECN Budapest Cup T20I, 2025
26 Jul 2025, 03:00 PM IST
Hungary HUN

Austria AUST

Upcoming – t20 – Hungary
ECN Budapest Cup T20I, 2025
26 Jul 2025, 06:30 PM IST
Austria AUST

Luxembourg LUX

Result – t10 – Stockholms län
European Cricket Series Sweden, Stockholm, 2025
Alby Zalmi CC ALZ

114/2

Rising Phoenix RPH

108/6

Alby Zalmi CC won by 8 wickets

Live – t10 – Stockholms län
European Cricket Series Sweden, Stockholm, 2025
Marsta CC MAR

92/5

Huddinge HDN

Upcoming – t10 – Stockholms län
European Cricket Series Sweden, Stockholm, 2025
25 Jul 2025, 04:15 PM IST
Marsta CC MAR

Alby Zalmi CC ALZ

Upcoming – t10 – Stockholms län
European Cricket Series Sweden, Stockholm, 2025
25 Jul 2025, 06:15 PM IST
Huddinge HDN

Rising Phoenix RPH

Upcoming – t10 – Stockholms län
European Cricket Series Sweden, Stockholm, 2025
25 Jul 2025, 08:15 PM IST
Marsta CC MAR

Huddinge HDN

Upcoming – t10 – Stockholms län
European Cricket Series Sweden, Stockholm, 2025
26 Jul 2025, 12:15 PM IST
Alby Zalmi CC ALZ

Jinnah CC JIHCC

Upcoming – t10 – Stockholms län
European Cricket Series Sweden, Stockholm, 2025
26 Jul 2025, 02:15 PM IST
Rising Phoenix RPH

Marsta CC MAR

Upcoming – t10 – Stockholms län
European Cricket Series Sweden, Stockholm, 2025
26 Jul 2025, 04:15 PM IST
Jinnah CC JIHCC

Alby Zalmi CC ALZ

Upcoming – t10 – Stockholms län
European Cricket Series Sweden, Stockholm, 2025
26 Jul 2025, 06:15 PM IST
Rising Phoenix RPH

Jinnah CC JIHCC

Upcoming – t10 – Stockholms län
European Cricket Series Sweden, Stockholm, 2025
26 Jul 2025, 08:15 PM IST
Alby Zalmi CC ALZ

Rising Phoenix RPH

Upcoming – t20 – Gaborone
ICC Women’s Africa T20 WC Qualifier 2, 2025
26 Jul 2025, 01:00 PM IST
Botswana Women BOT-W

Malawi Women MWW-W

Upcoming – t20 – Gaborone
ICC Women’s Africa T20 WC Qualifier 2, 2025
26 Jul 2025, 01:00 PM IST
Eswatini Women EWW-W

Lesotho Women LSN-W

Upcoming – t20 – Gaborone
ICC Women’s Africa T20 WC Qualifier 2, 2025
26 Jul 2025, 05:20 PM IST
Rwanda Women RWA-W

Sierra Leone Women SLO-W

Upcoming – t20 – Gaborone
ICC Women’s Africa T20 WC Qualifier 2, 2025
26 Jul 2025, 05:20 PM IST
Cameroon Women CW-W

Mozambique Women MZW-W

Upcoming – t20 – Kuwait City
KCC T20 Summer League, 2025
25 Jul 2025, 08:30 PM IST
Fakhr-E-Kashmir FEK

Royal Lions CC RLC

Upcoming – t20 – Kuwait City
KCC T20 Summer League, 2025
26 Jul 2025, 12:30 AM IST
ACE KRM Panthers KRMPS

Al mulla Exchange ALECC

Upcoming – t20 – Kuwait City
KCC T20 Summer League, 2025
26 Jul 2025, 10:30 PM IST
Gujrat Cricket Club GUJCC

Super Lanka SUL

Result – t10 – Johor Bahru
Malaysia T10 Bash, 2025
Fatemi Resources Cricket Club FRC

79/3

Utkal Cricket Club UTC

77/7

Fatemi Resources Cricket Club beat Utkal Cricket Club by 7 wickets

Result – t10 – Johor Bahru
Malaysia T10 Bash, 2025
JB Kings JBK

97/3

MR KB Putrajaya MKP

99/4

MR KB Putrajaya won by 6 wickets

Result – t10 – Johor Bahru
Malaysia T10 Bash, 2025
KL Gladiators KLG

61/6

Maxx Cricket Club MXC

62/5

Maxx Cricket Club beat KL Gladiators by 5 wickets

Live – t10 – Johor Bahru
Malaysia T10 Bash, 2025
Sky Warriors Cricket Club SWCL

76/0

MB Malik Sports UMZ MBMS

Upcoming – t10 – Johor Bahru
Malaysia T10 Bash, 2025
26 Jul 2025, 06:30 AM IST
Fatemi Resources Cricket Club FRC

KL Gladiators KLG

Upcoming – t10 – Johor Bahru
Malaysia T10 Bash, 2025
26 Jul 2025, 08:40 AM IST
JB Kings JBK

Sky Warriors Cricket Club SWCL

Upcoming – t10 – Johor Bahru
Malaysia T10 Bash, 2025
26 Jul 2025, 10:50 AM IST
Utkal Cricket Club UTC

Maxx Cricket Club MXC

Upcoming – t10 – Johor Bahru
Malaysia T10 Bash, 2025
26 Jul 2025, 01:15 PM IST
MR KB Putrajaya MKP

MB Malik Sports UMZ MBMS

Live – t20 – Entebbe
Pearl of Africa T20, 2025
Kenya KNY

124/8

Uganda UGA

65/2

Upcoming – t20 – Entebbe
Pearl of Africa T20, 2025
25 Jul 2025, 04:00 PM IST
Nigeria NIG

Namibia A NBA

Upcoming – t20 – Entebbe
Pearl of Africa T20, 2025
26 Jul 2025, 12:00 PM IST
United Arab Emirates UAE

Nigeria NIG

Upcoming – t20 – Entebbe
Pearl of Africa T20, 2025
26 Jul 2025, 04:00 PM IST
Kenya KNY

Namibia A NBA

Upcoming – t20 – Puducherry
Pondicherry Premier League, 2025
25 Jul 2025, 07:00 PM IST
Yanam Royals YAR

Mahe Megalo Strikers MMS

Result – t20 – Kabul
Shpageeza Cricket League, 2025
Mis Ainak Knights MAK

166/3

Amo Sharks ASS

165/7

Mis Ainak Knights won by 7 wickets

Upcoming – t20 – Kabul
Shpageeza Cricket League, 2025
25 Jul 2025, 03:15 PM IST
Band-e-Amir Dragons BAD

Speen Ghar Tigers SGT

Upcoming – t20 – Kabul
Shpageeza Cricket League, 2025
26 Jul 2025, 10:00 AM IST
Mis Ainak Knights MAK

Boost Defenders BDS

Upcoming – t20 – Kabul
Shpageeza Cricket League, 2025
26 Jul 2025, 03:00 PM IST
Amo Sharks ASS

Speen Ghar Tigers SGT

Upcoming – t20 – Trinidad and Tobago
USA Women U19 tour of West Indies, 2025
26 Jul 2025, 07:30 PM IST
West Indies Women U19 WIU19-W

United States Of America Women U19 USAU19-W

Upcoming – t20 – Northern Ireland
World Championship of Legends, 2025
25 Jul 2025, 09:00 PM IST
Pakistan Champions PNC

South Africa Champions SAC

Upcoming – t20 – Northern Ireland
World Championship of Legends, 2025
26 Jul 2025, 05:00 PM IST
India Champions IAC

Australia Champions AAC

Upcoming – t20 – Leeds
World Championship of Legends, 2025
26 Jul 2025, 09:00 PM IST
Pakistan Champions PNC

West Indies Champions WIC

Upcoming – t20 – Harare
Zimbabwe T20I Tri-Series, 2025
26 Jul 2025, 04:30 PM IST
New Zealand NZ

South Africa SA

Upcoming – oneday – Northern Ireland
Zimbabwe Women tour of Ireland, 2025
26 Jul 2025, 03:15 PM IST
Ireland Women IRE-W

Zimbabwe Women ZIM-W

Venkatesh Iyer

The most likely option for KKR’s long-term plan after he was named as the vice-captain for the IPL 2025. In order to give him the promotion, KKR also shelled out INR 23.75 crore for the Madhya Pradesh all-rounder in the auction. Even though he has hit a terrible slump with just 142 runs from seven innings, KKR are likely to put faith in the 30-year-old to lead them into the future.

Rinku Singh

After many years of looking for Andre Russell’s successor, KKR locked in on Rinku Singh in 2018 and has managed to keep the left-hander in their books for seven seasons now. Rinku has benefited hugely from an environment that has put him on the national team’s reckoning and brought him the closest to becoming an official world champion in 2024.

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The 27-year-old is now a regular in the national team at No.6 in T20Is and being handed the reins of KKR might be that offer Rinku can’t refuse.

Varun Chakravarthy

A surprise pick for sure, considering the Tamil Nadu spinner has had a start-stop career. But there are very few players in T20 cricket with the game-reading skills like Varun. Even for an underwhelming IPL 2025, the spinner has 17 wickets at an average of 22 and an economy of 7.66. He has the experience of leading teams in the Tamil Nadu Premier League which should come in handy if KKR are to consider an alternative option for captaincy in 2026. Even though he might not be a long-term option, his current form put Varun above other experienced players.

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