KKR Retention List IPL 2026: Three-time IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders, after lifting the title in 2024, had a season to forget in 2025. After a few too many moves in last year’s mega auction, this team is looking for a fresh start; at least that’s what their retentions suggest.
The deadline for retentions for IPL 2026 was today. We now take a look at the base structure for each team, with which they will enter the auction next month. Here, we will look at the Knight Riders and the players they have retained from their last season’s squad.
KKR wasn’t too active in this trading window, being part of only one trade as they sent away spinner Mayank Markande to the Mumbai Indians for Rs. 30 lakh.
This team focused on freeing up their auction wallet after making some big releases. This means they now have some decent money and space to make big and crucial changes.
Check Out: KKR Retention List IPL 2026
KKR Retention List IPL 2026
Last season’s captain, Ajinkya Rahane, was retained. He will lead the team’s batting order, which also consists of Rinku Singh, Maneesh Pandey, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, and Rovman Powell.
Players with massive contracts, who did not have the best season last year, were released, like Quinton de Kock, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, and Indian all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer, who cost Rs. 24.75 crore alone.
Having released both their wicketkeepers, Kolkata will be in the market for a new one this auction.
To everyone’s surprise, long-time Knight Rider Andre Russell was left for the auction. And so, KKR’s all-rounder line-up includes Sunil Narine, Ramandeep Singh, and Anukul Roy.
Star bowler Varun Chakravarthy is the only specialist spinner to have been retained.
Finally, we come towards the pacers. Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, and Uran Malik form the solid Indian pace battery of this team.
KKR Retention List IPL 2026: Ajinkya Rahane, Rinku Singh, Maneesh Pandey, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Rovman Powell, Sunil Narine, Ramandeep Singh, Anukul Roy, Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, Umran Malik
Traded for: No one so far
Released: Andre Russell, Quiton de Kock, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Luvnith Sisodiya, Venkatesh Iyer, Moeen Ali, Spencer Johnson, Anrich Nortje, Chetan Sakariya
Traded away: Mayank Markande
Check Out: KKR Retention List IPL 2026
Get IPL 2026 Live Score, Team Updates, along with the Latest Player News at IceCric.News and Follow for Live Updates – Facebook & Instagram.
