Players likely to be released from Shah Rukh Khan’s team

IPL 2024 champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), who suffered a dramatic dip in form last season, finished eighth, their worst performance in IPL history. The campaign, characterized by inconsistency, underperforming players and a volatile middle order, has plunged the franchise into a significant restructuring ahead of the November 15 retention deadline for IPL 2026. With several senior players under scrutiny, KKR are expected to make bold decisions as they aim to reset their squad and regain competitiveness next year.

The first name under the scanner is Ajinkya Rahane. They may release him not only because of his inconsistent performances but also because KKR may look for a younger, more dynamic player who will reshape their top order and bring a fresh perspective to the batting line-up.

Also under scrutiny is Russell, who played 13 matches in 2025 and scored 167 runs at a strike rate of 163.73. Although he maintained a high strike rate, his overall impact diminished and his position in the team became more uncertain.

Venkatesh Iyer is another player facing a potential exit after a difficult 2025 season. Strike returns were inconsistent with a high economy rate of 23.75cr weakening KKR’s balance. The franchise may opt to replace him to make room for a more effective and versatile option.

Kolkata Knight Riders Players Likely to Retain:

Sunil Narine, Rinku Singh, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy, Manish Pandey, Vaibhav Arora, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Anukul Roy,

KKR’s Possible Players:

Andre Russell, Ajinkya Rahane, Venkatesh Iyer, Anrich Nortje, Moeen Ali, Mayank Markande, Quinto de Kock, Rovman Powell, Spencer Johnson, Chetan Sakariya, Ramandeep Singh, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Luvnith Sisodia, Umran Malik