IPL Auction 2025: KL Rahul set to lead KKR? Franchise targets 2 big names for captaincy

Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are likely to target Indian wicketkeeper batter KL Rahul during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction. Rahul and England white-ball captain Jos Buttler are on the Kolkata Knight Riders' target list for the captaincy role for the IPL 2025 season.

The Knight Riders released Shreyas Iyer, who had led the team to the title in IPL 2024. KKR retained key players, including middle-order batter Rinku Singh, all-rounders Andre Russell and Sunil Narine, mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy, and uncapped all-rounders Harshit Rana and Ramandeep Singh.

Rinku Singh is the highest-paid player for KKR, as he was retained for Rs 13 crore. Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, and Varun Chakravarthy will all earn Rs 12 crore, while Harshit Rana and Ramandeep Singh will receive Rs 4 crore each. KKR will not have a Right to Match (RTM) option available during the auction.

On the other hand, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) didn't retain Rahul. Rahul mentioned that he wanted to play for a franchise where he could play with freedom. LSG retained Nicholas Pooran (Rs 21 crore), Ravi Bishnoi (Rs 11 crore), Mayank Yadav (Rs 11 crore), Mohsin Khan (Rs 4 crore), and Ayush Badoni (Rs 4 crore).

Kolkata Knight Riders To Target KL Rahul in IPL 2025 Mega Auction

The Kolkata Knight Riders are reportedly targeting Rahul in the IPL 2025 mega auction, with the intention of securing him as their captain. Rahul and Jos Buttler are considered the top candidates for the captaincy, according to multiple news sources like News 18 Bangla and Sangbad Pratidin.

🚨📰| The primary objective of the Kolkata Knight Riders is to select a captain. KL Rahul and Jos Buttler are expected to be the leading contenders for the captaincy for KKR in the #IPL2025 Mega Auction.

- Sangbad Pratidin pic.twitter.com/F8J3w2op8K

— KKR Vibe (@KnightsVibe) November 16, 2024

🚨📰| Kolkata Knight Riders is likely to bid for KL Rahul as they want to get him as captain for #IPL2025

- News 18 Bangla pic.twitter.com/riY3TV571L

— KKR Vibe (@KnightsVibe) November 16, 2024

KL Rahul Placed In Marquee Set 2 In IPL 2025 Auction

A total of 574 players will go under the hammer for the upcoming IPL 2025 mega auction, scheduled to take place on November 24-25 in Saudi Arabia. Among the top names are Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, and Rishabh Pant, who are placed in the marquee sets. Iyer and Pant are in Set 1, while Rahul is in Set 2.

The 32-year-old batter is the leading run-scorer for Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL, with 1,410 runs in 38 matches at an impressive average of 41.47 and a strike rate of 130.67. He smashed two centuries and 10 fifties. Before joining LSG, Rahul had captained Punjab Kings (PBKS) for a few seasons.

Don't See KL Rahul Returning There - Aakash Chopra

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra said that Lucknow Super Giants are unlikely to buy Rahul during the upcoming auction. Chopra added that LSG may target former KKR players like Shreyas Iyer, Venkatesh Iyer, and Nitish Rana.

"Actually, they will bid for all batters and I feel they will buy slightly expensive batters. I feel the parting with KL Rahul hasn't been good. It seems like there is no good in goodbyes because their owner's statement and then Rahul's statement, it just tells us that all is not well. So I don't see KL Rahul returning there," Chopra added.

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