Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are set to take some bold decisions ahead of IPL 2026 after a forgettable campaign in 2025. After winning the IPL title in 2024 under the captaincy of Shreyas Iyer, KKR’s fortunes took a sharp decline under Ajinkya Rahane as they finished eighth on the points table in IPL 2025 with just five wins.
The decision to release Shreyas Iyer after captaining the side in the Championship proved to be a major blow, as Kolkata Knight Riders were never able to find any rhythm throughout the season. Many of Rahane’s tactical calls did not go as planned and the team struggled to find consistency.
KKR to release multiple stars, target Cameron Green in ₹40 crore rebuilding plan
One of the biggest disappointments for Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2025 was Venkatesh Iyer. The franchise spent a whopping ₹23.75 crore to bring him back during the mega auction, seeing him as a potential long-term leader and even named him vice-captain.
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However, their performance was not commensurate with the price. Iyer’s struggles with the bat and lack of impact in key matches have raised KKR’s concerns, and the KKR team management is now seriously considering releasing him ahead of the IPL 2026 mini-auction.
As a senior journalist at ESPN Cricinfo has pointed out, the Kolkata-based franchise could opt for a complete revamp, releasing at least five overseas players along with Iyer to free up funds. If that happens, KKR could enter the IPL 2026 mini-auction with a strong purse of around ₹40 crore.
The plan is to use this money wisely to target a top-quality fast bowler or a fast-bowling all-rounder who can bring balance and power to the team. KKR are expected to pick Cameron Green, whose versatility and all-round ability fits in perfectly with their future vision.
| With the release of Venkatesh Iyer and several foreign players, KKR could go into the mini-auction with ₹40 crore. They would like to bid for a fast bowler or a fast bowling all-rounder.
(Nagaraj Gollapudi) pic.twitter.com/y3ZCwvdOn3
– KnightridersXtra (@KKR_Xtra) 10 November 2025
Kolkata Knight Riders end KL Rahul trade speculations
There were also rumors that the three-time IPL champions were interested in bringing KL Rahul on board from Delhi Capitals, but ESPN Cricinfo made it clear that no such trade will happen. The team’s problem is not having enough valuable assets to make an important business deal successful.
Earlier, reports had claimed that Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Capitals had discussed multiple swap deal options ahead of the IPL 2026 season. One proposal suggested selling KL Rahul in exchange for Sunil Narine, while the other suggested a swap between Rahul and the pair of Rinku Singh and Angkrish Raghuvanshi.
Reportedly, Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Harshit Rana could be taken in place of Rahul in the third option. However, none of these deals went ahead, as KKR were unwilling to part with their future superstars. Given this, now the KL Rahul trade is officially off the table.
ESPN Cricinfo clearly says
KL Rahul trade is not happening
Team KKR will release at least 5 foreign players and will land with a purse of Rs 40 crore or more.
KKR’s problem in business was not having enough assets to trade. pic.twitter.com/l3fMu5d2CE
– KKR Vibe (@KnightsVibe) 10 November 2025
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KKR is preparing to make major changes in the team before the IPL 2026 auction.
It is being said that the Kolkata franchise could release Iyer, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Moeen Ali, Manish Pandey, Rovman Powell, Mayank Markande, Anrich Nortje, Umran Malik and Chetan Sakariya ahead of the IPL 2026 auction, which is scheduled to be held on December 15-16 in Abu Dhabi.
