Among all the 10 teams who will take charge once again in the IPL, the team under the most pressure is Kolkata Knight Riders, primarily for one reason—they are the IPL 2024 champions. A team with the role of retaining the trophy feels the most pressure. With the IPL 2025 mega auction coming, which means many changes are expected, KKR needs to make the right calls, whether it’s about who to release or who to retain.
Since the BCCI still hasn’t cleared up the air on how the retention policy is going to be structured, there is still uncertainty on this front. However, what is clear is whom they should target ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. See three important names they should target ahead of IPL Season 18.
Rohit Sharma
The first name expected to be on everyone’s mega auction diary is Rohit Sharma. Things are still unclear about what the future holds for him in the IPL. Will he choose to stay with Mumbai Indians, which MI will surely aim for, or will he leave the franchise? Since the last IPL, where the team finished last, speculation has been strong that he may not stay at MI. However, there is still a lot of uncertainty.
There’s no doubt that whichever team he joins, he will be a valuable asset. On the other hand, there’s uncertainty surrounding Shreyas Iyer—whether KKR will retain him or not. If they don’t, KKR could benefit hugely from bringing in Rohit, as they would gain both a captain and an opening batter.
Suryakumar Yadav
Suryakumar Yadav is no stranger to KKR, having spent four years with the team and helping them clinch the IPL 2014 trophy. He scored more than 600 runs in 54 games with his power-packed batting. A few days ago, rumors surfaced that KKR management was looking to trade Shreyas Iyer to acquire SuryaKumar Yadav. Although the Mumbai franchise denied these rumors, there is still a possibility that if Surya leaves MI, whether through the auction or trading, KKR will certainly look to get him.
KL Rahul
Will KKR bid for KL Rahul? The chances are high. All three names mentioned here are captaincy candidates that the team will see and pick one if they release Shreyas Iyer. With Rahul, KKR would not only gain a batter and captain but also a wicketkeeper, which could further benefit the team.
Rahul’s retention with LSG is still unclear, as the Lucknow Super Giants franchise is waiting to see the retention policy for IPL 2025. While Rahul’s chances of being retained as a player by LSG are high, he may not be retained as captain. This is where things could change, and he may end up wearing the KKR jersey. With this in mind, KKR is likely to go for KL Rahul.
