The team finished on the 8th spot in the latest IPL season.
The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) did not have the best of seasons in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. So to say, the franchise did not have the best of days at the auction table as well. The management decided to go with Ajinkya Rahane as the skipper of the franchise, along with Venkatesh Iyer as his deputy. The latter was retained for a whopping sum, which he could not do justice to. The most important point of discussion in the camp would be – what are the probable KKR IPL 2026 Auction Targets?
The management would want to focus a lot more on the team’s auction strategy ahead of the next season. The franchise showcased a dismal season the last time around with just five wins out of the 14 group stage fixtures, and they would want to turn the tables in the upcoming season.
Having said that, November 15 is the deadline for the IPL franchises to submit their retention and release lists. In order to do that, the teams would be busy with their excel sheets ahead of the much-awaited IPL 2026 auction. Here are the 5 Best KKR IPL 2026 Auction Targets.
If the three-time IPL winners are able to acquire the services of any of the two mentioned wicketkeeper-batters, they would have solved one-third of their problems. Both KL Rahul and Sanju Samson bring an established experience of leading their respective franchises for multiple years.
To add to that, the two players are stalwarts in the league and can bat in the top-order easily. Wicketkeeper, opening batter and a leadership role – what more does a franchise need?
Rahul scored a humongous 539 runs in the last edition of the IPL with the Delhi Capitals (DC). Though the Capitals would be reluctant to release him, the wicketkeeper-batter from Karnataka would be aiming for bigger bids. This would be a good chance for KKR to chip in and offer their bid.
On the other hand, Samson has been making the headlines for quite a while now, after expressing his intentions to part ways with Rajasthan Royals (RR). In nine games last season, he scored 235 runs at an average of almost 36, which was pretty decent. His leadership has been lauded by a lot of players who have played under him.
Being with the Punjab Kings (PBKS) last season, Glenn Maxwell was anything but close to his maximum potential. In seven matches of IPL 2025, he could only gather 48 runs with a mere average of less than 10. With this being the case and inconsistency at its peak, the franchise might let go of the Australian star.
Here comes the opportunity for KKR! Someone like Glenn Maxwell can be a good fit in the middle-order for the Knight Riders. Though he has been pretty inconsistent in the recent past, Maxwell has shown what he is capable of, and the damage he can inflict.
He scored a brilliant century in the Major League Cricket (MLC) this season, and has been one of the finest when it has come down to power hitting. The all-rounder possesses a brilliant core, and can take the bowlers to the cleaners at will.
Having played in the IPL for three seasons, Phil Salt has featured in each season with a different jersey. But, he has played for the Knight Riders in one of those. Salt featured in the KKR side in 2024, and the franchise would be looking to acquire his services yet again, after his blistering run of form in recent times.
In 13 games last season with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Salt scored a whopping 403 runs at an average of 33.58. Opening the batting with Virat Kohli, Salt used to take the bowlers to the cleaners quite frequently, upping the ante whenever the team needed it.
His aggressive nature of batting makes him one of the best in business, and he has shown that frequently in the past. Recently against South Africa in a T20I, the wicketkeeper-batter got to a 141 runs in just 60 deliveries, as England notched up 302/2. Salt can be a good option for KKR to look forward to, as they are a franchise that believe in going hard at the top.
The 26-year-old all-rounder from Australia can be a great replacement for Andre Russell. The fact of KKR letting go of Russell might not sit well with most of the fans, but it is equally true that the all-rounder from the Caribbean has not been consistent in the previous seasons.
Green did not feature in the last edition of the IPL, but has a great chance ahead of the next season, after he returned to bowling a few days ago.
When he played for Mumbai Indians (MI) and RCB in the IPL, Green batted in the top-order on most occasions, and even holds a century while batting at three. However, KKR can look at him as a possible replacement for Russell, and can be one of the best Best KKR IPL 2026 Auction Targets.
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The Indian speedster has not quite impressed in the IPL so far. His heroics in Test cricket have not reflected in the shortest format of the game, which is quite understandable considering the stark difference in formats. However, the Gujarat Titans (GT) might want to release him ahead of the IPL 2026 auction, and that might be a chance for other franchises to chip in.
The KKR management might think of releasing bowlers like Anrich Nortje, who are injury prone on most occasions. On the other hand, the franchise does not possess a deep pool of Indian fast bowlers, and that is the reason they might look at Siraj. In the last season, he picked 16 wickets in a span of 15 matches and KKR will have to give him a clear role ahead of the next season.
Additionally, Vaibhav Arora and Harshit Rana are the two Indian pacers in their ranks, with Ramandeep Singh pitching in on rare occasions. However, the inclusion of Siraj might be a boost for their squad. Considering the movement and zip at Eden Gardens, Siraj might just be the right choice for capping off KKR IPL 2026 Auction Targets.
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