IPL 2025: KKR signs Shivam Shukla as replacement for Rovman Powell

Shivam Shukla is a mystery spinner from Madhya Pradesh.

The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) announced on Sunday, May 18, that they have recruited Shivam Shukla, a mystery spinner from Madhya Pradesh, to play the rest of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 in place of Rovman Powell of the West Indies.  

The decision was made when the IPL resumed on May 17 and the former West Indies T20 skipper declined to return to India, citing health concerns.  

“All KKR Players and Support Staff have arrived in Bangalore, except Rovman Powell & Moeen Ali. Both Powell and Ali couldn’t come back due to medical reasons. Rovman is undergoing a procedure, while Moeen and his family are down with a viral infection. We wish them good health and a quick recovery,” KKR said in a statement.

Rain caused their league match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to be abandoned without a toss on Saturday night, eliminating KKR from the playoff race.

They now have 12 points from 13 games as a result, ruining their chances of reclaiming the championship they had won the previous season under Shreyas Iyer’s leadership.

Who is Shivam Shukla?

Madhya Pradesh’s Shivam Shukla is a mystery spinner who has excelled on the domestic scene, particularly in regional T20 leagues.  With 10 wickets in four games, including a five-wicket haul, he was the top wicket-taker in the Madhya Pradesh T20 League.  

In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024–2025, he also played for Madhya Pradesh under current RCB captain Rajat Patidar, taking eight wickets in eight innings.

Shivam was formerly a net bowler for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), where he was coached by Muttiah Muralitharan. In the nets, he even got rid of Abhishek Sharma. But KKR selected him as a replacement for the rest of the season before SRH had a chance to give him more thought.

The addition of him just makes KKR’s spin unit stronger, which already has Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy as reliable choices.

However, because of a recent change to the “Replacement Player” rule, KKR will not be able to keep Shivam on as a regular member for the following seasons. Players who join teams as temporary substitutes cannot be kept for the next season, according the most recent BCCI regulations.

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