IPL 2026 auction: List of all players released and retained by Kolkata Knight Riders

By Vikas Singh Derek

Vikas Singh Derek has a Master's in Journalism and has written more than 50,000 articles. He currently works as a cricket content writer at Khel Now.

Published at :November 15, 2025 at 6:06 PM

Modified at :November 15, 2025 at 6:06 PM

IPL 2026 auction: List of all players released and retained by Kolkata Knight Riders

Kolkata Knight Riders have retained 12 players in their squad ahead of IPL 2026 auction.

On Saturday, November 15, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) announced their list of retained and released players ahead of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 mini auction. The three-time champions have retained 12 players and released nine players from their squad.

Surprisingly, the franchise have retained Ajinkya Rahane, who might lead the side in the next season. Rinku Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, and Sunil Narine are other key players that they have retained, while all-rounder Andre Russell, shockingly, has been released by them.

Kolkata Knight Riders did not qualify for the playoffs in IPL 2025

KKR, Kolkata Knight Riders, IPL 2025 — Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2025. (Image Source: BCCI)

KKR won their third title in IPL 2024, however, they failed to qualify for the playoffs in the 2025 season. Ahead of IPL 2025, they parted ways with their captain Shreyas Iyer and Ajinkya Rahane as new captain after roping him at the mega auction.

However, the three-time champions produced horrible performance under his captaincy, finishing at the eight spot in the league stage. They won just five games and lost seven clashes out of 14 matches, with two no results.

Ahead of the next season, KKR have made massive changes in the coaching unit. Abhishek Nayar is the new head coach of the side, while Shane Watson will be the assistant coach. Tim Southee has been appointed as the new bowling coach. In IPL 2026, the Knight Riders will aim to win fourth IPL title.

Which players did Kolkata Knight Riders retain before IPL 2026 auction?

KKR have retained 12 players in their squad for the next season, including captain Ajinkya Rahane.

Ajinkya Rahane
Rinku Singh
Angkrish Raghuvanshi
Rovman Powell
Manish Pandey
Sunil Narine
Ramandeep Singh
Anukul Roy
Varun Chakravarthy
Harshit Rana
Vaibhav Arora
Umran Malik

Which players did Kolkata Knight Riders release before IPL 2026 auction?

KKR have parted ways with nine players ahead of the next season, including big names like Andre Russell, Venkatesh Iyer, and Quinton de Kock.

Andre Russell
Venkatesh Iyer
Moeen Ali
Quinton de Kock
Rahmanullah Gurbaz
Luvnith Sisodia
Chetan Sakariya
Anrich Nortje
Spencer Johnson

What is Kolkata Knight Riders’ remaining purse value ahead of IPL 2026 auction?

KKR’s remaining purse value ahead of IPL 2026 auction is Rs. 64.30 crores, the biggest by any team.

Who was KKR’s captain in IPL 2025?

Ajinkya Rahane was KKR’s captain in IPL 2025.

How many players did KKR retain ahead of IPL 2026 auction?

KKR have retained 12 players in their squad ahead of IPL 2026 auction.

What is KKR’s remaining purse value ahead of IPL 2026 auction?

KKR’s remaining purse value ahead of IPL 2026 auction is Rs. 64.30 crores.

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Vikas Singh Derek

Vikas Singh Derek is a core cricket-lover since childhood and has always followed the sport both in his personal and professional life. He started his school life by watching cricket at home with family. Later, he played cricket on the field at local clubs during college. After his Master's in Journalism from Mumbai, he followed his passion by covering cricket news across various digital media. Since 2015, he has been an aspiring sports journalist and cricket content writer with over 50K+ articles.