2026 Kolkata Knight Riders season
| 2026 season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Eden Gardens, home ground of Kolkata Knight Riders | |||
| Head coach | Abhishek Nayar | ||
| Captain | Ajinkya Rahane | ||
| Ground(s) | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | ||
| |||
| 2026 Indian Premier League Teams |
|---|
| See also |
|
Note: Teams are listed per the playing order. |
The 2026 edition will be the 19th season for the Indian Premier League franchise Kolkata Knight Riders. They will be one of the ten teams that compete in the 2026 Indian Premier League. The team finished in eighth place in the previous season's league stage.[1]
Pre-season
Kolkata Knight Riders is a franchise cricket team based in Kolkata, India, which has been playing in the Indian Premier League since its inaugural season. The team is the third-most successful in the tournament, having won three titles.[2] They are one of the ten teams competing in the 2026 edition from 28 March to 31 May 2026.[3] They are led by Ajinkya Rahane and coached by Abhishek Nayar.[4] The team will play all its home matches at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata.
Player retention and releases
The retentions were announced on 15 November 2025.[5] Kolkata Knight Riders retained a total of 12 players.[6] Big names such as Andre Russell, Venkatesh Iyer, Quinton de Kock, along with eight other players, were released before the auction.[7] During the trade window period, Indian spinner Mayank Markande was traded from Kolkata Knight Riders to Mumbai Indians.[8]
| No. | Player | Salary | No. | Player | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35 | Rinku Singh | ₹13 crore (US$1.5 million) | 14 | Vaibhav Arora | ₹1.8 crore (US$210,000) |
| 74 | Sunil Narine | ₹12 crore (US$1.4 million) | 3 | Ajinkya Rahane (c) | ₹1.5 crore (US$180,000) |
| 29 | Varun Chakravarthy | ₹12 crore (US$1.4 million) | 52 | Rovman Powell | ₹1.5 crore (US$180,000) |
| 22 | Harshit Rana | ₹4 crore (US$470,000) | 9 | Manish Pandey | ₹75 lakh (US$89,000) |
| 19 | Ramandeep Singh | ₹4 crore (US$470,000) | 24 | Umran Malik | ₹75 lakh (US$89,000) |
| 18 | Angkrish Raghuvanshi | ₹3 crore (US$350,000) | 45 | Anukul Roy | ₹40 lakh (US$47,000) |
| Wicket-keepers | All-rounders | Fast bowlers | Spin bowlers |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Retirement
In the midst of confusion over release and achieving a high auction price, on 30 November 2025, Andre Russell declared his retirement from the Indian Premier League, concluding his 12-year career with the Kolkata Knight Riders franchise.[11]
| Date | Name | Nationality | Age | Tenure with KKR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
30 November 2025
|
Andre Russell | Jamaica | 37 |
2014-2025 (12 years) |
Auction summary
The mini-auction took place on 16 December 2025 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.[12] Kolkata entered with the highest purse in the 2026 auction - ₹64.30 crore (US$7.6 million), with 13 slots to fill (including 6 overseas slots).[13] They bought Australian all-rounder Cameron Green for a whopping ₹25.20 crore (US$3.0 million), their most expensive buy in IPL history. Green also clinched the record for the league's most expensive foreign player, surpassing Mitchell Starc's record of ₹24.75 crore (US$2.9 million).[14] They also bought Sri lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana for a staggering price of ₹18.00 crore (US$2.1 million).[15] The team filled all its 13 remaining slots with ₹45 lakh (US$53,000) left.[16]
| Team | Retained | Bought | Overall | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capped | Uncapped | Total | Capped | Uncapped | Total | Capped | Uncapped | Total | |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | 9 |
3 |
12 |
8 |
5 |
13 |
17 |
8 |
25
|
Squad
- Players with international caps as of the start of the 2026 season are listed in bold.
- Ages are as of 28 March 2026.
| S/N | Name | Nationality | Birth date | Batting style | Bowling style | Year signed | Salary | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Captain | ||||||||
| 3 | Ajinkya Rahane | India | 6 June 1988 (aged 37) | Right-handed | Right-arm medium | 2025 | ₹1.5 crore (US$180,000) | |
| Batters | ||||||||
35 |
Rinku Singh | India | 12 October 1997 (aged 28) | Left-handed | Right-arm off-break | 2018 | ₹13.0 crore (US$1.5 million) | |
18 |
Angkrish Raghuvanshi | India | 5 June 2004 (aged 21) | Right-handed | Right-arm off-break | 2024 | ₹3.0 crore (US$350,000) | |
9 |
Manish Pandey | India | 10 September 1989 (aged 36) | Right-handed | Right-arm medium | 2024 | ₹75 lakh (US$89,000) | |
52 |
Rovman Powell | West Indies | 23 July 1993 (aged 32) | Right-handed | Right-arm medium | 2025 | ₹1.5 crore (US$180,000) | Overseas |
| Rahul Tripathi | India | 2 March 1991 (aged 35) | Right-handed | Right-arm medium | 2026 | ₹75 lakh (US$89,000) | ||
| Wicket-keepers | ||||||||
| Finn Allen | New Zealand | 22 April 1999 (aged 26) | Right-handed | Right-arm off-break | 2026 | ₹2.0 crore (US$240,000) | Overseas | |
| Tejasvi Singh | India | 18 April 2002 (aged 23) | Right-handed | N/a | 2026 | ₹3.0 crore (US$350,000) | ||
| Tim Seifert | New Zealand | 14 December 1994 (aged 31) | Right-handed | N/a | 2026 | ₹1.5 crore (US$180,000) | Overseas | |
| All-rounders | ||||||||
74 |
Sunil Narine | West Indies | 26 May 1988 (aged 37) | Left-handed | Right-arm off-break | 2012 | ₹12.0 crore (US$1.4 million) | Overseas |
45 |
Anukul Roy | India | 30 November 1998 (aged 27) | Left-handed | Slow left-arm orthodox | 2022 | ₹40 lakh (US$47,000) | |
19 |
Ramandeep Singh | India | 13 April 1997 (aged 28) | Right-handed | Right-arm medium | 2024 | ₹4.0 crore (US$470,000) | |
| Cameron Green | Australia | 3 June 1999 (aged 26) | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium | 2026 | ₹25.2 crore (US$3.0 million) | Overseas | |
| Rachin Ravindra | New Zealand | 18 November 1999 (aged 26) | Left-handed | Slow left-arm orthodox | 2026 | ₹2.0 crore (US$240,000) | Overseas | |
| Sarthak Ranjan | India | 25 September 1996 (aged 29) | Right-handed | Right-arm leg-break | 2026 | ₹30 lakh (US$35,000) | ||
| Daksh Kamra | India | 9 January 2003 (aged 23) | Right-handed | Right-arm leg-break | 2026 | ₹30 lakh (US$35,000) | ||
| Pacers | ||||||||
14 |
Vaibhav Arora | India | 14 December 1997 (aged 28) | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium | 2023 | ₹1.8 crore (US$210,000) | |
24 |
Umran Malik | India | 22 November 1999 (aged 26) | Right-handed | Right-arm fast | 2025 | ₹75 lakh (US$89,000) | |
| Matheesha Pathirana | Sri Lanka | 18 December 2002 (aged 23) | Right-handed | Right-arm fast | 2026 | ₹18.0 crore (US$2.1 million) | Overseas; Injured | |
| Kartik Tyagi | India | 8 November 2000 (aged 25) | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium | 2026 | ₹30 lakh (US$35,000) | ||
| Blessing Muzarabani | Zimbabwe | 2 October 1996 (aged 29) | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium | 2026 | ₹75 lakh (US$89,000) | Overseas; Added[a] | |
| Saurabh Dubey | India | 23 January 1998 (aged 28) | Right-handed | Left-arm fast-medium | 2026 | ₹30 lakh (US$35,000) | Replacement[b] | |
22 |
Harshit Rana | India | 22 December 2001 (aged 24) | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium | 2022 | ₹4.0 crore (US$470,000) | Ruled-out[c] |
— |
Akash Deep | India | 15 December 1996 (aged 29) | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium | 2026 | ₹1.0 crore (US$120,000) | Ruled-out[b] |
— |
Mustafizur Rahman | Bangladesh | 6 September 1995 (aged 30) | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium | 2026 | ₹9.2 crore (US$1.1 million) | Overseas; Released[a] |
| Spinners | ||||||||
29 |
Varun Chakravarthy | India | 29 August 1991 (aged 34) | Right-handed | Right-arm leg-break | 2020 | ₹12.0 crore (US$1.4 million) | |
| Prashant Solanki | India | 22 February 2000 (aged 26) | Right-handed | Right-arm leg-break | 2026 | ₹30 lakh (US$35,000) | ||
Administration and support staff
Abhishek Nayar took over as the team's head coach after Chandrakant Pandit's three-year contract ended.[21] Shane Watson replaced Ottis Gibson as the team's assistant coach.[22] Tim Southee replaced Bharat Arun and Carl Crowe as the bowling coach.[23] Andre Russell was appointed as the power coach of the team, a unique role in franchise cricket.[24] Dishant Yagnik has been appointed as the team's fielding coach.[25]
| Position | Name | Position | Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| Owner | Shah Rukh Khan (RCE) Jay Mehta (Mehta Group) |
CEO and MD | Venky Mysore |
| Head coach | Abhishek Nayar | Mentor | Dwayne Bravo |
| Assistant coach | Shane Watson | Team manager | Wayne Bentley |
| Bowling coach | Tim Southee | Power coach | Andre Russell |
| Fielding coach | Dishant Yagnik | Strength and Conditioning coach |
Chris Donaldson |
| Analyst | Nathan Leamon | Massage Therapist | Subhajit Das |
| Physiotherapist | Prasanth Panchada | Head of Scouting | Manvinder Bisla |
| Source: KKR Staff | |||
Intra-squad practice
The team held its first intra-squad practice game on 20 March at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata.[26] The team will held its second practice match on 23 March.
20 March 2026
18:30 |
Golden Knights
199/8 (20 overs) |
v
|
Purple Knights
203/4 (19.2 overs) |
League stage
Points table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | NR | Pts | NRR | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chennai Super Kings | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | Advance to Qualifier 1 |
| 2 | Delhi Capitals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | |
| 3 | Gujarat Titans | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | Advance to Eliminator |
| 4 | Kolkata Knight Riders | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | |
| 5 | Lucknow Super Giants | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | |
| 6 | Mumbai Indians | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | |
| 7 | Punjab Kings | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | |
| 8 | Rajasthan Royals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | |
| 9 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | |
| 10 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
League progression
| Team | Group matches | Playoffs | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | Q1/E | Q2 | F | |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | |||||||||||||||||||
| Win | Loss | No result |
- Note: The total points at the end of each group match are listed.
- Note: Click on the points (group matches) or W/L (playoffs) to see the match summary.
Results
Statistics
Most runs
| Runs | Player | Inns. | HS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Last Updated: TBD | Source: TBD | |||
Most wickets
| Wickets | Player | Inns. | BBI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Last Updated: TBD | Source: TBD | |||
Player of the match
| Match No. | Date | Player | Opponent | Contribution | Ref. |
|---|
Marketing
Following the departure of Dream11, which was primarily due to the implementation of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, Kolkata Knight Riders announced Vida EV, a subsidiary of Hero MotoCorp, as their new title partner for the next three years.[28] RR Kabel continues as the principal partner for the 2026 season as part of their multi-year partnership agreement.[29] In February 2026, the team organized a unique box-cricket tournament featuring only the passionate fan clubs of the Kolkata Knight Riders. They invited popular local influencers to promote the tournament to a larger audience.[30] In March 2026, the team revealed its new jersey, themed around the Lines of Legacy.[31] The team has partnered with Krafton India to deliver exciting franchise-themed in-game content in the latest update of Battlegrounds Mobile India.[32]
| Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor (front) | Shirt sponsor (back) | Chest Branding |
|---|---|---|---|
| SIX5SIX | Vida EV | BKT | RR Kabel |
| Source: kkr.in | |||
Controversies
Exclusion of Mustafizur Rahman
Bangladeshi fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman was bought by Kolkata for ₹9.2 crore (US$1.1 million) in the auction.[33] Following the 2025 Bangladesh anti-Hindu violence and lynching of Dipu Chandra Das in December 2025 led to calls for exclusion of Bangladeshi players from IPL.[34] In January 2026, the BCCI requested that the franchise release Rahman from the squad and permitted them to select a replacement player.[35] In March 2026, the team filled the empty spot by adding Zimbabwean pacer Blessing Muzarabani in the squad.[36]
Dwayne Bravo's criticisms
The team held an official press conference ahead of the season on March 20, which included the captain Ajinkya Rahane, head coach Abhishek Nayar, assistant coach Shane Watson, and mentor Dwayne Bravo.[37] Before the meeting began, Bravo was overheard speaking to Watson and Nayar, saying, “When these guys called me, I had two women at my home.” Rahane then pointed out to Bravo that the microphones were on, leaving Bravo visibly embarrassed.[38] Two days later, Bravo faced criticism for attending the Chennai Super Kings event instead of helping the Knight Riders team prepare for the upcoming season.[39]
Notes
- ^ a b See Mustafizur Rahman controversy
- ^ a b Akash Deep has been ruled out of the tournament due to injury.[19] Saurabh Dubey has been named as his replacement.[20]
- ^ Harshit Rana has been ruled out of the tournament due to a knee injury sustained during the 2026 Men's T20 World Cup warm-ups. No replacement has been named yet.[18]
References
- ^ 2025 Indian Premier League | Points Table at ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 27 June 2025. Retrieved 3 June 2025.
- ^ "KKR's bowlers rip through SRH to win third IPL title". ESPNcricinfo. 26 May 2024. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
- ^ "IPL 2026 to be held between March 28 and May 3". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 23 December 2025. Retrieved 23 December 2025.
- ^ "Kolkata Knight Riders confirm their captain for IPL 2026". MSN. Retrieved 17 March 2026.
- ^ "TATA IPL 2026 Player Retentions Announced". Indian Premier League. 15 November 2025. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
- ^ "Kolkata Knight Riders Announce Retained Players Ahead of TATA IPL 2026 Auction". Kolkata Knight Riders. 15 November 2025. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
- ^ "KKR retained, released and traded players list - Sportstar". Sportstar. 15 November 2025. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
- ^ "Mumbai Indians Make Shrewd Trade, Re-Sign Title-Winning Spinner From KKR For Rs 30 Lakh". NDTV Sports. 15 November 2025. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
- ^ "TATA IPL 2026- Retained Players.15.11.25" (PDF). Indian Premier League. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
- ^ "TATA IPL 2026- Released Players.15.11.25" (PDF). Indian Premier League. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
- ^ "IPL 2026: Released by KKR, Andre Russell retires from IPL, flaunts loyalty". India Today. 30 November 2025. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
- ^ "IPL auction set to take place on December 16 in Abu Dhabi". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 December 2025.
- ^ "KKR Auction Strategy 2026: Purse, Slots, Key Needs and Target Players Explained". The Hindu. 16 December 2025. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
- ^ "Green becomes most expensive overseas IPL player". BBC. 16 December 2025. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
- ^ "IPL Auction 2026: Big bids for Matheesha Pathirana as KKR secure elite death-overs specialist for INR 18 crore". The Economic Times. 16 December 2025. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
- ^ "KKR go big at IPL 2026 Auction, blend global firepower with Indian promise". Kolkata Knight Riders. 16 December 2025. Retrieved 23 December 2025.
- ^ 2026 Indian Premier League, Kolkata Knight Riders squad at ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 26 March 2026.
- ^ "Huge blow! Harshit Rana ruled out of IPL 2026; KKR yet to decide replacement". The Times of India. 13 March 2026. Retrieved 13 March 2026.
- ^ "After Harshit Rana, KKR Lose Another Indian Pacer Ahead Of IPL 2026". News18. 21 March 2026. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
- ^ "KKR pick Saurabh Dubey as Akash Deep replacement". Cricbuzz. 22 March 2026. Retrieved 22 March 2026.
- ^ "KKR appoint Abhishek Nayar as head coach; replaces Chandrakant Pandit". The Times of India. 30 October 2025. Archived from the original on 8 December 2025. Retrieved 25 December 2025.
- ^ "IPL 2026 - Shane Watson joins KKR as assistant coach". ESPNCricinfo. 13 November 2025. Archived from the original on 21 December 2025. Retrieved 25 December 2025.
- ^ "IPL 2026: Tim Southee joins KKR as bowling coach". Sportstar. 14 November 2025. Retrieved 25 December 2025.
- ^ "Andre Russell retires from IPL; to return to KKR as 'power coach'". Olympics.com. 30 November 2025. Retrieved 25 December 2025.
- ^ "IPL 2026: Kolkata Knight Riders appoint Dishant Yagnik as fielding coach for upcoming season". WION. 21 January 2026. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
- ^ "IPL 2026: Mumbai's Angkrish Raghuvanshi Fires Warning, Slams Unbeaten Century In KKR Practice Match". Free Press Journal. 20 March 2026. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
- ^ 2026 Indian Premier League points table standings at ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 3 June 2025.
- ^ "VIDA teams up with Kolkata Knight Riders as Title Partner to Power a New Generation" (PDF). Hero MotoCorp. 16 December 2025. Retrieved 25 December 2025.
- ^ "RR Kabel Joins Forces with Kolkata Knight Riders as Principal Partner for the upcoming T20 season" (PDF). RR Kabel. 10 February 2025. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
- ^ "KKR ignite Kolkata's cricket soul with Knights Electrifying Box Cricket". Tribune India. 19 February 2026. Retrieved 12 March 2026.
- ^ "KKR launches 2026 jersey with quirky "Lines of Legacy" campaign, unveiling rich purple, shimmering gold design". Asian News International. 14 March 2026. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
- ^ "BGMI 4.3 update to bring CSK and KKR themed collectables: What's coming". Business Standard. 17 March 2026. Retrieved 19 March 2026.
- ^ "IPL 2026 Auction: Mustafizur Rahman sold to KKR for Rs. 9.20 crore". Sportstar. 16 December 2025. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
- ^ "KKR And Mustafizur Rahman Controversy Explained: What Is It About?". News18. 2 January 2026. Archived from the original on 1 January 2026. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
- ^ "KKR release Mustafizur from IPL 2026 squad following BCCI instructions". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 3 January 2026. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
- ^ "KKR rope in Blessing Muzarabani for IPL 2026". Cricbuzz. 13 March 2026. Retrieved 13 March 2026.
- ^ "IPL 2026: Amid KKR injury crisis, mentor Dwayne Bravo picks in-house solutions". The Times of India. 20 March 2026. Retrieved 22 March 2026.
- ^ "'I had 2 chicks at home': Dwayne Bravo embarrasses himself and KKR; Ajinkya Rahane reminds him the mics are on". Hindustan Times. 21 March 2026. Retrieved 22 March 2026.
- ^ "KKR fans furious as bowling coach Bravo spotted at CSK event during injury crisis". India Today. 22 March 2026. Retrieved 22 March 2026.
General references
- "IPL Season Schedule 2026 Part I" (PDF). Indian Premier League Schedule. 19 (1). Board of Control for Cricket in India. 11 March 2026.