The franchise released a couple of star players in Andre Russell and Venkatesh Iyer.
After the dismal season that the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the 18th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), a revamp is what they are looking at. At least, that is what can be determined out of their retentions and releases ahead of the IPL 2026 auction. With that out of the way, all the focus would now shift towards the KKR target players list for December 16.
It was no secret that either KL Rahul or Sanju Samson would have been a great fit for the franchise ahead of the next season. But the wicketkeeper-batter from Karnataka was never in the release plans for the Delhi Capitals (DC). On the other hand, the former Rajasthan Royals (RR) skipper was constantly in trade discussions with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Due to whatever reason, KKR missed onboarding Sanju Samson as well.
For that very reason, the franchise would now be in the need of a gun wicketkeeper-batter to fill one of the most important slots ahead of the next IPL season. Though the franchise retained the likes of Ajinkya Rahane, they released two of their overseas wicketkeepers in Quinton de Kock and Rahmanullah Gurbaz, which leaves them at an important juncture now.
Here are some of the wicketkeepers that the three-time IPL champions might go after in the IPL 2026 auction, considering the fact that they have the highest capital amongst all teams.
The wicketkeeper-batter from England would be one of the players that a few franchises would be after, considering his ability to go hard at the top of the order. In the previous season, Bairstow played just two matches for the Mumbai Indians (MI), and scored a crucial 85 runs in the two playoffs fixtures together.
The Knight Riders could also get an opening batter along with an excellent wicketkeeper in their arsenal for the 19th edition of the IPL. The 36-year-old can hit the ball on the up, which would suit his batting on decks like the Eden Gardens, where the ball comes on to the bat nicely. With the huge purse that the franchise have got, Jonny Bairstow could easily be one of the names on the KKR target players list.
Alongside taking the bowlers to the cleaners, the Englishman also knows his way behind the stumps and can add a lot of value there. The left-handed batter has not been in the scheme of things for most of the franchise leagues in the latest seasons, but can surely pack a punch if he is banked on.
Duckett is extremely strong on the off-side, and thrives on deliveries that are outside the off-stump, making width his strength zone. Hence, the English opener can be a good prospect for the KKR camp at the top of the order, helping them to take the attack to the opposition.
The wicketkeeper-batter from Karnataka was released by the Mumbai Indians (MI) ahead of the IPL 2026 auction. That being said, he has produced some exemplary performances for his state in domestic cricket and remains one of the key KKR target players for the IPL 2026 auction.
In 17 T20s for Karnataka, he has scored 393 runs at a strike-rate of 146.64, which also has a couple of fifties beside his name. To add to that, an average of 32.75 speaks volumes of his consistency with the bat. Shrijith is also a vital player behind the wickets.
The West Indian is one of the batters who is technically sound, and gets most of his runs playing proper cricketing shots. Shai Hope is a multitasker on the field and can also help the captain ascertain various aspects in the field due to his vast experience.
In 58 T20Is so far, he has scored 1,403 runs at a strike-rate of 137.68 with nine fifties and a solitary century. To add to that, Shai Hope can play all the shots in the book and is one of the most technically sound batters from the West Indies to have played the game.
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Another bright prospect for the Kolkata Knight Riders to keep in the KKR target players list would be Tushar Raheja. The 24-year-old has been a good performer in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) and has represented two teams in the league.
Though he has had a brief career so far in domestic cricket, Raheja has shown a lot of potential and can be one of the wildcard picks for the franchise ahead of the next IPL season. All said and done, the Knights will have to hunt for a wicketkeeper-batter, and investing in Tushar Raheja would reap them goos rewards in the future.
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