Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have announced Ajinkya Rahane as their captain for the IPL 2025 season. Alongside him, Venkatesh Iyer has been named the vice captain of the team.
Rahane was picked by KKR in the IPL 2025 mega-auction for ₹1.5 crore. On the other hand, Iyer, who was retained by the team for a whopping ₹23.75 crore, was expected by many to take the captaincy role.
Why KKR Chose Rahane as Captain
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Speaking about the decision, KKR CEO Mysore Venky highlighted Rahane’s experience and leadership skills. He explained that IPL is a high-pressure tournament, and having a calm and seasoned leader is essential.
“IPL is quite an intense tournament. Clearly, we think very well of Venkatesh Iyer but, at the same time, it [captaincy] is taxing on a youngster. We have seen lots of people having lots of challenges with it as they go forward. It takes a very steady hand, takes a lot of maturity and experience, which we felt Ajinkya brings with him”, he said in an interview with ESPN Cricinfo.
KKR’s Leadership Change
KKR are coming into IPL 2025 as defending champions, having won the 2024 season under the leadership of Shreyas Iyer. However, Shreyas was released by the franchise and wasn’t re-signed during the auction.
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For Rahane, this will be his second stint with KKR. He previously played for the team in IPL 2022. His return as captain brings new hopes for the squad.
Rahane’s Vast Experience
KKR’s CEO further emphasized Rahane’s leadership history. He has played 185 IPL matches and has led teams in various formats. More notably, he captained India to a historic Test series win in Australia in 2020-21.
“He has played 185 IPL games, 200 [195] international games across formats. He has led India, led Mumbai in domestic, he’s led in IPL. And he has played from season one of IPL. All that is massive. There should be no surprise at all [on appointing Rahane as captain],” Venky added.
Rahane’s IPL Record
Rahane is a seasoned IPL player with impressive stats. He has scored 4,642 runs at an average of 30.14, including two centuries and 30 half-centuries. Over the years, he has played for multiple teams, including Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals, Rising Pune Supergiants, Delhi Capitals, and Chennai Super Kings.
Also Read: The Rise Of Young Players In IPL 2025: A New Era For Cricket
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