With the IPL 2026 Auction a few months away, three-time Indian Premier League (IPL) winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are expected to take a few big calls. Especially after missing the playoffs in the last edition finishing eighth in the playoffs, the Purple and Gold outfit will look to turnaround their fortunes in the upcoming season. Here’s a look at the likely KKR Retention List, players who could be released, and how the KKR squad might shape up.
KKR are known for backing their loyal custodians and matchwinners but ahead of the IPL 2026 Auction, the franchise might look to tweak a few spots. Here’s a look at the likely KKR Retention List:
KKR may stick to their philosophy of retaining their core. Players who offer multi-dimensional skills or form the leadership core are more likely to be retained. Some potential names are:
Sunil Narine – Part of KKR’s all three title wins (2012, 2014 and 2024) alongside his explosive batting and mystery spin bowling
Angkrish Raghuvanshi – Promising young talent who has delivered mostly when given the chance
Varun Chakravarthy – Top wicket-taker for KKR in the last two seasons and forms a lethal spin duo with Narine
Rinku Singh – Homegrown talent and one of the best finishers in the business
Harshit Rana- Spearhead of KKR’s pace bowling attack and a key cog of the Indian core in the franchise.
ALSO READ:
Kolkata could look to part ways with a few underperformers or ageing stars to free up budget. Here’s the expected KKR Released Players List:
These are the key players who struggled for form or didn’t fit the balance KKR wanted:
Quinton de Kock – Was inconsistent and the top of the order and will open up an overseas slot
Andre Russell – Performance and workload have seen a sharp decline in recent years.
Anrich Nortje – Hasn’t been a regular feature alongside injury issues
Venkatesh Iyer – Too expensive a retention at INR 23.75 crores, KKR will look to release him and buy back at the auction
Moeen Ali – Moeen Ali was bought as a backup for Narine and did not get much opportunities.
Here’s how the KKR squad might look after retentions and releases:
Category: Retained
Ajinkya Rahane, Rinku Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Luvnith Sisodia, Ramandeep Singh, Vaibhav Arora, Sunil Narine, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy, Umran Malik, Mayank Markande.
Category: Released
Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Quinton de Kock, Manish Pandey, Andre Russell, Venkatesh Iyer, Anukul Roy, Moeen Ali, Rovman Powell, Anrich Nortje, Spencer Johnson, Shivam Shukla, Chetan Sakariya
Captaincy Status
The KKR captain for IPL 2026 remains uncertain as of now. While the franchise bought Ajinkya Rahane to lead the side last season after they decided to release Shreyas Iyer, Rahane did not have the best of seasons as a leader. However, given his experience of captaining India and Mumbai in domestic cricket, Rahane will remain the frontrunner for the role.
With gaps to plug in their pace attack and middle-order, KKR are likely to target:
Sanju Samson (trade) – KKR are amongst the teams who have reportedly shown an interest for Sanju Samson if the Royals decide to part with him. Furthermore, with KKR’s overseas wicketkeeper-batters failing to deliver, they are on the lookout for an experienced player in the role. Getting Samson also gives KKR a likely captaincy candidate.
Abhishek Porel (trade) – If not Samson, KKR could also be looking at Abhishek Porel. He is young and also has experience of playing at KKR’s home Eden Gardens, as it is also the home ground of the Bengal team for which Porel plays his domestic cricket.
Cameron Green (auction) – Cameron Green is one target after whom KKR might be willing to go big if they decide to release Andre Russell. The Aussie all-rounder can bat top in 5 and can also bowl 3,4 overs and also has IPL experience.
Mohammed Shami (auction) – Shami will bolster their Indian pace bowling attack featuring Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, Umran Malik. Shami has represented Bengal in domestic cricket for years and has a good record at the iconic Eden Gardens.
Likely names include Ajinkya Rahane, Sunil Narine, Rinku Singh, Varun Chakravarthy and Harshit Rana.
Possible releases: Andre Russell, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Venkatesh Iyer, Moeen Ali, Quinton de Kock
Focus on squad balance, experienced overseas stars in specific roles, and plugging gaps in pace and batting depth.
For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Telegram, and YouTube.
