Both the players were bought by KKR at the IPL 2025 auction.
In what could be a potential acid test, two of Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) top captaincy choices for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) season are set to face off in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) final between Mumbai and Madhya Pradesh, slated to be held on December 15.
Venkatesh Iyer and Ajinkya Rahane, who plays for MP and Mumbai respectively, are the two frontrunners for the leadership role with the defending champions.
Notably, Ajinkya Rahane is currently in stellar form and the leading run-scorer in SMAT with 432 runs in 8 games. He also slammed a fiery 98 in the semis clash against Baroda to help Mumbai qualify for their second SMAT final.
On the other hand, Venkatesh Iyer also scored consistently in the MP middle order, amassing 213 runs in 7 games at a stellar average of 70.
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Ajinkya Rahane, Venkatesh Iyer in the ring for KKR captaincy
Kolkata Knight Riders bought both Rahane and Venkatesh Iyer at the IPL 2025 auction. Although the KKR management decided to break the bank for Venkatesh, securing him for INR 23.75 crores, the late addition of Rahane at the auction for INR 1.5 crores made the decision of picking their next skipper intriguing.
While Venkatesh was a part of the championship-winning KKR squad, Rahane has also previously plied his trade with the three-time IPL winners back in the 2022 season.
Given Venkatesh’s steep price tag, it is understood that the franchise sees him as a future investment and would hand over more responsibilities to him. However, the inclusion of Rahane also hints that the KKR management is looking at the dynamic right-hander apart from just his batting skills.
Furthermore, Rahane has previous experience in captaincy, having led the Indian team, Mumbai in Ranji Trophy and Rajasthan Royals in the IPL.
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