Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) walked into the IPL 2026 mini-auction with the biggest purse and a clear plan. After a disappointing eighth-place finish in IPL 2025, the franchise chose a bold reset to shape a stronger squad for the new season.
KKR entered the auction with INR 64.3 crore in hand, the highest among all teams. This came after releasing nine players and trading leg-spinner Mayank Markande to Mumbai Indians before the auction day.
Letting go of big names was a tough call but it opened up space. Releasing Venkatesh Iyer and Andre Russell alone freed up INR 35.75 crore, giving KKR the flexibility to rebuild across departments.
Despite the changes, KKR kept a solid core intact. They retained 12 players, including Rinku Singh, Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy, and captain Ajinkya Rahane, ensuring experience and leadership stayed in the dressing room.
The headline moment came when KKR went all out for Cameron Green. They signed the Australian all-rounder for INR 25.2 crore, making him the most expensive player of the IPL 2026 auction.
Green is expected to fill the impact role left by Russell. His ability to bat in the top order and bowl fast-medium overs gives KKR balance, something they lacked in the previous season.
KKR also focused heavily on strengthening their bowling. They snapped up Matheesha Pathirana for pace at the death and added Mustafizur Rahman for control in the middle overs and at the back end.
The batting unit received equal attention. Finn Allen was picked to add firepower at the top, while Rahul Tripathi returned to bring stability and familiarity with the franchise’s setup.
Rachin Ravindra adds another all-round option, especially useful on slower Indian pitches. His calm batting and left-arm spin give KKR more flexibility with combinations.
Along with these stars, KKR invested in several Indian domestic players to build bench strength. This shows a clear focus on depth, not just a playing XI.
By the end of the auction, KKR completed a full 25-member squad. The final group includes 17 Indian players and eight overseas cricketers, with INR 45 lakh still left in the purse.
Players Bought by KKR in IPL 2026 Auction
| Sr. No. | Player Name | Country | Role | Base Price (₹) | Final Price (₹) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cameron Green | Australia | All-rounder | ₹ 2 crore | ₹ 25.20 crore |
| 2 | Matheesha Pathirana | Sri Lanka | Bowler | ₹ 2 crore | ₹ 18 crore |
| 3 | Mustafizur Rahman | Bangladesh | Bowler | ₹ 2 crore | ₹ 9.20 crore |
| 4 | Tejasvi Singh | India | Wicketkeeper | ₹ 30 lakh | ₹ 3 crore |
| 5 | Finn Allen | New Zealand | Wicketkeeper-Batter | ₹ 2 crore | ₹ 2 crore |
| 6 | Rachin Ravindra | New Zealand | All-rounder | ₹ 2 crore | ₹ 2 crore |
| 7 | Tim Seifert | New Zealand | Wicketkeeper | ₹ 1.5 crore | ₹ 1.5 crore |
| 8 | Akash Deep | India | Bowler | ₹ 1 crore | ₹ 1 crore |
| 9 | Rahul Tripathi | India | Batter | ₹ 75 lakh | ₹ 75 lakh |
| 10 | Kartik Tyagi | India | Bowler | ₹ 30 lakh | ₹ 30 lakh |
| 11 | Prashant Solanki | India | Bowler | ₹ 30 lakh | ₹ 30 lakh |
| 12 | Sarthak Ranjan | India | All-rounder | ₹ 30 lakh | ₹ 30 lakh |
| 13 | Daksh Kamra | India | All-rounder | ₹ 30 lakh | ₹ 30 lakh |
Players Retained by KKR ahead of IPL 2026 Auction
| Sr. No. | Player Name | Country | Role | Retention Price (₹) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rinku Singh | India | Batter | 13 crore |
| 2 | Sunil Narine | West Indies | All-rounder | 12 crore |
| 3 | Varun Chakaravarthy | India | Bowler | 12 crore |
| 4 | Harshit Rana | India | All-rounder | 4 crore |
| 5 | Ramandeep Singh | India | All-rounder | 4 crore |
| 6 | Angkrish Raghuvanshi | India | Batter | 3 crore |
| 7 | Vaibhav Arora | India | Bowler | 1.8 crore |
| 8 | Ajinkya Rahane | India | Batter | 1.5 crore |
| 9 | Rovman Powell | West Indies | Batter | 1.5 crore |
| 10 | Umran Malik | India | Bowler | 75 lakh |
| 11 | Manish Pandey | India | Batter | 75 lakh |
| 12 | Anukul Roy | India | All-rounder | 40 lakh |