Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 has witnessed major news and the veteran Indian cricketer Ajinkya Rahane was officially appointed as the new captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The announcement has excited KKR fans and cricket enthusiasts as Rahane takes up a role that some of the greatest names in the game have filled. So let’s dive deep into an analysis of KKR Captain 2025, past captains, why they chose Rahane, and what this leadership means for the franchise.
About Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) Franchise
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) is an old, established franchise and a very successful franchise in IPL history. The team is based in Kolkata, West Bengal, and was formed in 2008. KKR has a fantastic, fervent fanbase and is known for playing at the Eden Gardens, their home ground, and lifting three IPL trophies so far, in 2012, 2014, and 2024. Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, actress Juhi Chawla, and her husband, Jay Mehta, are also part owners of KKR. The team has a motto, which is “Korbo, Lorbo, Jeetbo” (We will perform, fight, and win), something they carry and live by.
KKR Team Overview
| Aspect | Details |
| Team Name | Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) |
| Founded | 2008 |
| Home Ground | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
| Owners | Shah Rukh Khan, Juhi Chawla, Jay Mehta |
| Titles Won | 3 (2012, 2014, 2024) |
| Team Colors | Purple and Gold |
| Slogan | Korbo, Lorbo, Jeetbo |
| IPL 2024 Performance | Champions (Defeated SRH in Final) |
KKR’s Past Captains—A Legacy of Leaders
Quite a few changes have taken place in leadership at KKR over the years. Sourav Ganguly, Gautam Gambhir, and Shreyas Iyer each brought a different style and strategy as captain. Finally we have seen a comprehensive table of all KKR captains till now:
KKR Captaincy Record
| Captain | Tenure | Matches | Wins | Losses | Win % |
| Sourav Ganguly | 2008–2010 | 27 | 13 | 14 | 48.15 |
| Brendon McCullum | 2009 | 13 | 3 | 10 | 23.07 |
| Gautam Gambhir | 2011–2017 | 122 | 69 | 50 | 56.55 |
| Jacques Kallis | 2011 (1 match) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 100 |
| Dinesh Karthik | 2018–2020 | 37 | 19 | 17 | 51.35 |
| Eoin Morgan | 2020–2021 | 24 | 11 | 13 | 45.83 |
| Nitish Rana | 2023 | 14 | 6 | 8 | 42.85 |
| Shreyas Iyer | 2022–2024 | 29 | 16 | 13 | 55.17 |
| Ajinkya Rahane | 2025–Present | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
Why Ajinkya Rahane Became KKR Captain in IPL 2025
The reasons as to why KKR chose to name Indian batsman Ajinkya Rahane as the new captain in their franchise are as follows:
1. Experience Across Formats
Rahane has been a part of the Indian cricket set-up for more than a decade. Representing India in all three formats since his debut, he also captained the side during India’s memorable win against Australia in the 2020-21 Test. This indicates his leadership quality and calm temperament.
2. Successful Domestic Season
In the 2023–24 domestic season, Rahane captained Mumbai in a number of tournaments. Under his leadership, Mumbai made it to the Irani Cup and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. His runs tally in SMAT 2024 was a fine 469 in 8 innings at a strike rate of a
decent 164.56.
3. IPL Experience
In 185 IPL matches, Rahane has made over 4,642 runs with two centuries and 30 half centuries. Prior to this, he has captained Rajasthan Royals and Rising Pune Supergiants.
4. Shreyas Iyer’s Departure
In the past, KKR’s former captain, Shreyas Iyer, was released at the IPL 2025 auction and has since become the Punjab Kings captain. The vacuum that was created opened room for Rahane’s consistent performance and experience to be the natural choice.
5. Venkatesh Iyer as Deputy
The franchise was showing their plan to prepare a younger face under Rahane’s leadership as they appointed Venkatesh Iyer as KKR’s vice captain. Iyer was one among the top performers in 2024 and made a difference in the playoffs.
Ajinkya Rahane’s IPL Stats
| Metric | Stat |
| Matches Played | 185 |
| Total Runs | 4,642 |
| Average | 31.27 |
| Strike Rate | 123.15 |
| 100s/50s | 2 / 30 |
| Best Score | 105* |
| Previous Captaincy | Rajasthan Royals, Pune SG |
KKR’s IPL 2025 Fixtures (Upcoming 5 Matches)
| Match No. | Date | Time (IST) | Opponent | Venue |
| 6 | April 11 | 7:30 PM | Chennai Super Kings | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai |
| 7 | April 15 | 7:30 PM | Punjab Kings | New PCA Stadium, New Chandigarh |
| 8 | April 21 | 7:30 PM | Gujarat Titans | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
| 9 | April 26 | 7:30 PM | Punjab Kings | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
| 10 | April 29 | 7:30 PM | Delhi Capitals | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi |
| 11 | May 4 | 3:30 PM | Rajasthan Royals | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
| 12 | May 7 | 7:30 PM | Chennai Super Kings | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
| 13 | May 10 | 7:30 PM | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad |
| 14 | May 17 | 7:30 PM | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru |
KKR’s Strategy in 2025
Appointing Rahane as captain brings in calm and composure into the dressing room.
- KKR is focused on the Youth: Venkatesh Iyer will be vice captain in the side but so too are players like Rinku Singh and Harshit Rana.
- Balance to Squad: A blend of experienced Indian players, explosive overseas stars such as Andre Russell and Sunil Narine along with their up and coming domestic players.
KKR’s Key Players in IPL 2025
| Player Name | Role | Nationality | Price (INR) |
| Venkatesh Iyer | All-Rounder | Indian | 23.75 crore |
| Rinku Singh | Batter | Indian | 13 crore |
| Andre Russell | All-Rounder | West Indian | 12 crore |
| Sunil Narine | All-Rounder | West Indian | 12 crore |
| Varun Chakaravarthy | Bowler | Indian | 12 crore |
| Anrich Nortje | Bowler | South African | 6.50 crore |
| Quinton de Kock | Wicketkeeper-Batter | South African | 3.60 crore |
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz | Wicketkeeper-Batter | Afghan | 2 crore |
| Moeen Ali | All-Rounder | English | 2 crore |
| Spencer Johnson | Bowler | Australian | 2.80 crore |
| Rovman Powell | Batter | West Indian | 1.50 crore |
| Ajinkya Rahane | Batter (Captain) | Indian | 1.50 crore |
| Umran Malik | Bowler | Indian | 75 lakh |
| Manish Pandey | Batter | Indian | 75 lakh |
| Harshit Rana | Bowler | Indian | 4 crore |
| Ramandeep Singh | Batter | Indian | 4 crore |
| Angkrish Raghuvanshi | All-Rounder | Indian | 3 crore |
| Vaibhav Arora | Bowler | Indian | 1.80 crore |
| Anukul Roy | All-Rounder | Indian | 40 lakh |
| Mayank Markande | Bowler | Indian | 30 lakh |
| Luvnith Sisodia | Batter | Indian | 30 lakh |
What to Expect in IPL 2025
But the IPL 2025 campaign will be either KKR‘s fifth or first since its original setup in 2008, as defending champions and with this same core — just a new captain. According to a BCCI source, Rahane, who is from Baroda, will influence a calm and structured approach to match situations. KRK is somehow put together with big match players and the leadership group in place to be one of the fiercest of the favorites again.
Conclusion
The elevation of Kolkata Knight Riders captain Ajinkya Rahane is a new beginning in both the career of the franchise and of the captain. His presence in terms of leadership experience, recent form, and knowledge of the game makes him the right choice to lead a team as comprehensive as KKR. Between hungry veterans and up-and-comers and an energetic backroom staff, with KKR, KKR fans have every reason to dream of an IPL trophy in 2025.
With the IPL season starting March 22, 2025, all are set to gaze upon Eden Gardens as the place where Rahane will lead onto the field for the first time as the KKR captain. Will he write another striking chapter in KKR’s golden history?