Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), the defending champions of the Indian Premier League, have announced Ajinkya Rahane as their captain for the 2025 season. Venkatesh Iyer has been appointed as the vice-captain.
Rahane expressed his honor at being named captain of KKR, a franchise he recognizes as one of the most successful in the IPL. He believes the team has a well-rounded and strong squad. Rahane is eager to collaborate with everyone and embrace the challenge of defending their championship title.
Reflecting on the IPL mega auction last November, Rahane’s acquisition wasn’t initially anticipated based on KKR’s bidding strategy. He went unsold in the first round but was later acquired by KKR at his base price of INR 1.5 crore during the accelerated round on the second day of the auction.
KKR CEO Venky Mysore stated the team’s delight in having a leader of Ajinkya Rahane’s caliber, emphasizing his experience and maturity. He also highlighted Venkatesh Iyer’s significance as a franchise player with leadership qualities. Mysore is confident in their partnership to lead the team in their title defense.
This marks Rahane’s second tenure with KKR, having previously played for them in 2022. While his performance in 2022 was modest, he experienced a resurgence with Chennai Super Kings in 2023. IPL 2024 saw a dip in his productivity, leading to his release by CSK.
Rahane’s leadership abilities are highly regarded, notably demonstrated when he captained India to a Test series victory in Australia in 2020-21. He is also respected in domestic cricket, having led Mumbai to several titles, including the recent Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024-25, where he was the tournament’s top scorer.
In the IPL, Rahane has captained in 25 matches, previously leading Rising Pune Super Giant and Rajasthan Royals. Venkatesh Iyer, despite not being initially retained by KKR, was re-acquired for a significant INR 23.75 crore, becoming one of the most expensive players in IPL auction history.
Iyer has been with KKR since 2021 and played a crucial role in their championship victory last year. He had recently expressed his readiness to captain KKR if given the opportunity.
KKR will commence the season by hosting Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Eden Gardens on March 22. They earned this privilege by winning the 2024 IPL title against Sunrisers Hyderabad, their third title overall, then under the captaincy of Shreyas Iyer.
With KKR’s captain announcement, Delhi Capitals remain the only team yet to name a captain. Rishabh Pant, who led DC last year, was not retained and will captain Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2025.
