Kolkata Knight Riders head into IPL 2026 on the back of renewed confidence and anticipation, as they continue to build their squad based on a new philosophy. The franchise has put together a new squad and seem ready to contend for a title.
They are typically known to face the year with sharp plans and a strong team culture, and have put in the hard work in the off-season to mind their key players. With the hope of leveraging their home ground of Eden Gardens, KKR hope to build an incredible season.
As the countdown for the 2026 Indian Premier League gets underway, KKR will head into the new season with a rich, dramatic history—legendary title victories, bold captaincy decisions, big rebuilding periods, and most notably, a powerful resurgence in this past period.
From the very start of this league, KKR has been a side infamous for a combination of unpredictable, and once-in-a-generation talent. They have gone from coming off the back of a couple of difficult seasons to an ever-threatening side capable of producing match-winners in nearly every department.
That transformation commenced during Gautam Gambhir‘s era, as he led KKR to Titles in IPL 2012 and 2014. His captaincy redefined the whole culture of the team, manging to strike a balance between aggression, discipline and tactical clarity.
The change occurred when a new leadership and coaching group took control and set
KKR up for their most successful season in 2024. With a dynamic batting lineup, all-rounders with exceptional power, and a lethal bowling attack KKR returned to lift the trophy in IPL 2024 defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad in a dominating final, and re-establishing itself as one of the strongest forces in the league.
The excitement of the 2025 season did deliver intense games but KKR wasn’t able to repeat the magic of the previous season. Despite all the ups and downs KKR maintained faith in its core group of players and brought some young players along, but still finished the season mid-table and began another rebuilding phase.
Now heading into IPL 2026 KKR is at another crossroads. Their retention choices suggest they are attempting to strike a balance between keeping some experienced match-winners and the future of KKR, and giving young players the required space to show their talents and continue to show KKR’s faith in them. The objective is clearly defined: earn back the title, and make another strong run toward glory.
KKR Retained Players for IPL 2026
- Ajinkya Rahane
- Angkrish Raghuvanshi
- Anukul Roy
- Harshit Rana
- Manish Pandey
- Ramandeep Singh
- Rinku Singh
- Rovman Powell
- Sunil Narine
- Umran Malik
- Vaibhav Arora
- Varun Chakravarthy
KKR Released Players Before the IPL 2026 Auction
- Andre Russell
- Venkatesh Iyer
- Quinton de Kock
- Moeen Ali
- Anrich Nortje
Mayank Markande (Traded Out)
Follow our Official Channel of WhatsApp
