Ajinkya Rahane’s IPL journey comes full circle as he rejoins the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for the 2025 season, this time with the potential to lead the team. After the departure of Shreyas Iyer, KKR has yet to announce their new captain, and Rahane is reportedly a strong contender. The franchise acquired the seasoned batter for his base price of INR 1.75 crore during the IPL 2025 auction.
Rahane previously represented KKR in IPL 2022, playing seven matches and scoring 133 runs with a top score of 44. Though his performances were modest, his leadership experience and calm demeanor could make him an ideal captain for the Knights. KKR CEO Venky Mysore hinted at a thorough decision-making process involving all stakeholders before finalizing the skipper.
The auction proved eventful for KKR, with a significant INR 23.75 crore investment in Venkatesh Iyer after a bidding war. The team also bolstered its pace attack by signing Spencer Johnson, Anrich Nortje, Umran Malik, and Vaibhav Arora. To add depth, they included international stars Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Quinton de Kock, Rovman Powell, and Moeen Ali.
Mysore expressed satisfaction with the auction results, praising the team for sticking to their strategy. “The way we completed the squad and checked all the boxes, I am extremely happy,” he said.
With two IPL titles already, KKR aims to reclaim the trophy, and Rahane’s potential captaincy could be a pivotal factor.
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