Template:Infobox cricket club season Template:2026 Indian Premier League Teams
The 2026 edition is the 19th season for the Indian Premier League franchise Kolkata Knight Riders. They are one of the ten teams competing in the 2026 Indian Premier League. The team finished in eighth place in the previous season's league stage.[1]
Pre-season
Template:Further Kolkata Knight Riders is a franchise cricket team based in Kolkata, India, which has been playing in the Indian Premier League since its inaugural season. The team is the third-most successful in the tournament, having won three titles.[2] They are one of the ten teams competing in the 2026 edition from 28 March to 31 May 2026.[3] They are led by Ajinkya Rahane and coached by Abhishek Nayar.[4] Rinku Singh is serving as the vice-captain of the team.[5] The team is playing all its home matches at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata.
Player retention and releases
The retentions were announced on 15 November 2025.[6] Kolkata Knight Riders retained a total of 12 players.[7] Big names such as Andre Russell, Venkatesh Iyer, Quinton de Kock, along with eight other players, were released before the auction.[8] During the trade window period, Indian spinner Mayank Markande was traded from Kolkata Knight Riders to Mumbai Indians.[9]
| No. | Player | Salary | No. | Player | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35 | Rinku Singh | Template:INRConvert | 14 | Vaibhav Arora | Template:INRConvert |
| 74 | Sunil Narine | Template:INRConvert | 3 | Ajinkya Rahane (c) | Template:INRConvert |
| 29 | Varun Chakravarthy | Template:INRConvert | 52 | Rovman Powell | Template:INRConvert |
| 22 | Harshit Rana | Template:INRConvert | 9 | Manish Pandey | Template:INRConvert |
| 19 | Ramandeep Singh | Template:INRConvert | 24 | Umran Malik | Template:INRConvert |
| 18 | Angkrish Raghuvanshi | Template:INRConvert | 45 | Anukul Roy | Template:INRConvert |
| Wicket-keepers | All-rounders | Fast bowlers | Spin bowlers |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Retirement
In the midst of confusion over release and achieving a high auction price, on 30 November 2025, Andre Russell declared his retirement from the Indian Premier League, concluding his 12-year career with the Kolkata Knight Riders franchise.[12] The team later decided to retire Russell's jersey number 12 to honor his contributions during his IPL career.[13]
| Date | Name | Nationality | Template:Abbr | Tenure with KKR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Left | Andre Russell | Template:JAM | Template:Center | 2014-2025 (12 years) |
Auction summary
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The mini-auction took place on 16 December 2025 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.[14] Kolkata entered with the highest purse in the 2026 auction - Template:INRConvert, with 13 slots to fill (including 6 overseas slots).[15] They bought Australian all-rounder Cameron Green for a whopping Template:INRConvert, their most expensive buy in IPL history. Green also clinched the record for the league's most expensive foreign player, surpassing Mitchell Starc's record of Template:INRConvert.[16] They also bought Sri lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana for a staggering price of Template:INRConvert.[17] The team filled all its 13 remaining slots with Template:INRConvert left.[18]
| Team | Retained | Bought | Overall | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capped | Uncapped | Total | Capped | Uncapped | Total | Capped | Uncapped | Total | |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | Template:Center | Template:Center | Template:Center | Template:Center | Template:Center | Template:Center | Template:Center | Template:Center | Template:Center |
Squad
- Players with international caps as of the start of the 2026 season are listed in bold.
- Ages are as of Template:Start date.
Playing XII
| Opponent → | MI
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SRH
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PK
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LSG
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5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player ↓ | ||||||||||||||
| Template:Left | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||||||||||
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| Template:Left | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||||||||||
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Administration and support staff
Abhishek Nayar took over as the team's head coach after Chandrakant Pandit's three-year contract ended.[20] Shane Watson replaced Ottis Gibson as the team's assistant coach.[21] Tim Southee replaced Bharat Arun and Carl Crowe as the bowling coach.[22] Andre Russell was appointed as the power coach of the team, a unique role in franchise cricket.[23] Dishant Yagnik has been appointed as the team's fielding coach.[24] Manvinder Bisla and Biju George have joined the team as the new heads of scouting.[25]
| Position | Name | Position | Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| Owner | Shah Rukh Khan (RCE) Jay Mehta (Mehta Group) |
CEO and MD | Venky Mysore |
| Head coach | Abhishek Nayar | Mentor | Dwayne Bravo |
| Assistant coach | Shane Watson | Team manager | Wayne Bentley |
| Bowling coach | Tim Southee | Power coach | Andre Russell |
| Fielding coach | Dishant Yagnik | Strength and Conditioning coach |
Chris Donaldson |
| Analyst | Nathan Leamon | Massage Therapist | Subhajit Das |
| Physiotherapist | Prasanth Panchada | Head of Scouting | Biju George Manvinder Bisla |
| Source: KKR Staff | |||
Intra-squad practice
The team held its first intra-squad practice game on 20 March at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata.[26] The team held its second practice match on 23 March.[27] Template:Single-innings cricket match
Template:Single-innings cricket match
League stage
Points table
{{#section:2026 Indian Premier League|pt}}
League progression
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Results
Template:Hatnote {{#section:2026 Indian Premier League|match2}}
{{#section:2026 Indian Premier League|match6}}
{{#section:2026 Indian Premier League|match12}}
{{#section:2026 Indian Premier League|match15}}
{{#section:2026 Indian Premier League|match22}}
{{#section:2026 Indian Premier League|match25}}
{{#section:2026 Indian Premier League|match28}}
{{#section:2026 Indian Premier League|match38}}
{{#section:2026 Indian Premier League|match45}}
{{#section:2026 Indian Premier League|match51}}
{{#section:2026 Indian Premier League|match57}}
{{#section:2026 Indian Premier League|match60}}
{{#section:2026 Indian Premier League|match65}}
{{#section:2026 Indian Premier League|match70}}
Statistics
Most runs
| Runs | Player | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr |
|---|---|---|---|
| 67 | Ajinkya Rahane | 1 | 67 |
| 51 | Angkrish Raghuvanshi | 1 | 51 |
| 37 | Finn Allen | 1 | 37 |
| 33 | Rinku Singh | 1 | 33* |
| 18 | Cameron Green | 1 | 18 |
| Total runs scored | |||
| 220 | |||
| Last Updated: 29 March 2026 | Source: | |||
Most wickets
| Wickets | Player | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunil Narine | 1 | 1/30 |
| 1 | Kartik Tyagi | 1 | 1/43 |
| 1 | Vaibhav Arora | 1 | 1/52 |
| Total wickets taken | |||
| 3 | |||
| Last Updated: 29 March 2026 | Source: | |||
Player of the match
| Match No. | Date | Player | Opponent | Contribution | Ref. |
|---|
Marketing
Following the departure of Dream11, which was primarily due to the implementation of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, Kolkata Knight Riders announced Vida EV, a subsidiary of Hero MotoCorp, as their new title partner for the next three years.[28] RR Kabel continues as the principal partner for the 2026 season as part of their multi-year partnership agreement.[29] In February 2026, the team organized a unique box-cricket tournament featuring only the passionate fan clubs of the Kolkata Knight Riders. They invited popular local influencers to promote the tournament to a larger audience.[30] In March 2026, the team revealed its new jersey, themed around the Lines of Legacy.[31] The team has partnered with Krafton India to deliver exciting franchise-themed in-game content in the latest update of Battlegrounds Mobile India.[32] The team held the Knights Unplugged 3.0, an exclusive, pre-season event which connect players, partners and the fans on 24 March.[33]
| Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor (front) | Shirt sponsor (back) | Chest Branding |
|---|---|---|---|
| SIX5SIX | Vida EV | BKT | RR Kabel |
| Source: kkr.in | |||
Controversies
Exclusion of Mustafizur Rahman
Template:Further Bangladeshi fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman was bought by Kolkata for Template:INRConvert in the auction.[34] Following the 2025 Bangladesh anti-Hindu violence and lynching of Dipu Chandra Das in December 2025 led to calls for exclusion of Bangladeshi players from IPL.[35] In January 2026, the BCCI requested that the franchise release Rahman from the squad and permitted them to select a replacement player.[36] In March 2026, the team filled the empty spot by adding Zimbabwean pacer Blessing Muzarabani in the squad.[37]
Dwayne Bravo's criticisms
The team held an official press conference ahead of the season on March 20, which included the captain Ajinkya Rahane, head coach Abhishek Nayar, assistant coach Shane Watson, and mentor Dwayne Bravo.[38] Before the meeting began, Bravo was overheard speaking to Watson and Nayar, saying, “When these guys called me, I had two women at my home.” Rahane then pointed out to Bravo that the microphones were on, leaving Bravo visibly embarrassed.[39] Two days later, Bravo faced criticism for attending the Chennai Super Kings event instead of helping the Knight Riders team prepare for the upcoming season.[40]
Notes
References
- ↑ Template:ESPNcricinfo 2
- ↑ KKR's bowlers rip through SRH to win third IPL title. ESPNcricinfo(2024-05-26). Retrieved 2024-05-26.
- ↑ IPL 2026 to be held between March 28 and May 3. ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 23 December 2025.
- ↑ Kolkata Knight Riders confirm their captain for IPL 2026. Retrieved 17 March 2026.
- ↑ Kolkata Knight Riders Appoint Rinku Singh as Vice-Captain Ahead of IPL 2026(24 March 2026). Retrieved 25 March 2026.
- ↑ TATA IPL 2026 Player Retentions Announced(15 November 2025). Retrieved 22 December 2025.
- ↑ Kolkata Knight Riders Announce Retained Players Ahead of TATA IPL 2026 Auction(15 November 2025). Retrieved 22 December 2025.
- ↑ KKR retained, released and traded players list - Sportstar(15 November 2025). Retrieved 22 December 2025.
- ↑ Mumbai Indians Make Shrewd Trade, Re-Sign Title-Winning Spinner From KKR For Rs 30 Lakh(15 November 2025). Retrieved 22 December 2025.
- ↑ TATA IPL 2026- Retained Players.15.11.25. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
- ↑ TATA IPL 2026- Released Players.15.11.25. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
- ↑ IPL 2026: Released by KKR, Andre Russell retires from IPL, flaunts loyalty(30 November 2025). Retrieved 22 December 2025.
- ↑ IPL: KKR retire Andre Russell's No. 12 jersey - here is why(24 March 2026). Retrieved 25 March 2026.
- ↑ IPL auction set to take place on December 16 in Abu Dhabi. ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 15 December 2025.
- ↑ KKR Auction Strategy 2026: Purse, Slots, Key Needs and Target Players Explained(16 December 2025). Retrieved 22 December 2025.
- ↑ Green becomes most expensive overseas IPL player(16 December 2025). Retrieved 22 December 2025.
- ↑ IPL Auction 2026: Big bids for Matheesha Pathirana as KKR secure elite death-overs specialist for INR 18 crore(16 December 2025). Retrieved 22 December 2025.
- ↑ KKR go big at IPL 2026 Auction, blend global firepower with Indian promise(16 December 2025). Retrieved 23 December 2025.
- ↑ Template:ESPNcricinfo 2
- ↑ KKR appoint Abhishek Nayar as head coach; replaces Chandrakant Pandit(30 October 2025). Retrieved 25 December 2025.
- ↑ IPL 2026 - Shane Watson joins KKR as assistant coach(13 November 2025). Retrieved 25 December 2025.
- ↑ IPL 2026: Tim Southee joins KKR as bowling coach(14 November 2025). Retrieved 25 December 2025.
- ↑ Andre Russell retires from IPL; to return to KKR as 'power coach'(30 November 2025). Retrieved 25 December 2025.
- ↑ IPL 2026: Kolkata Knight Riders appoint Dishant Yagnik as fielding coach for upcoming season(21 January 2026). Retrieved 11 March 2026.
- ↑ 2012 IPL hero Manvinder Bisla joins KKR in a new role(18 January 2026). Retrieved 28 March 2026.
- ↑ IPL 2026: Mumbai's Angkrish Raghuvanshi Fires Warning, Slams Unbeaten Century In KKR Practice Match(20 March 2026). Retrieved 21 March 2026.
- ↑ IPL 2026: KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane warns critics with rapid 58 in intra-squad clash(23 March 2026). Retrieved 24 March 2026.
- ↑ VIDA teams up with Kolkata Knight Riders as Title Partner to Power a New Generation(16 December 2025). Retrieved 25 December 2025.
- ↑ RR Kabel Joins Forces with Kolkata Knight Riders as Principal Partner for the upcoming T20 season(10 February 2025). Retrieved 12 March 2026.
- ↑ KKR ignite Kolkata's cricket soul with Knights Electrifying Box Cricket(19 February 2026). Retrieved 12 March 2026.
- ↑ KKR launches 2026 jersey with quirky "Lines of Legacy" campaign, unveiling rich purple, shimmering gold design(14 March 2026). Retrieved 14 March 2026.
- ↑ BGMI 4.3 update to bring CSK and KKR themed collectables: What's coming(17 March 2026). Retrieved 19 March 2026.
- ↑ KKR’s ‘Knights Unplugged’: Champion Mentality, Rahane’s Calmness, and a Promise to Eden Gardens Ahead of IPL 2026(25 March 2026). Retrieved 25 March 2026.
- ↑ IPL 2026 Auction: Mustafizur Rahman sold to KKR for Rs. 9.20 crore(16 December 2025). Retrieved 3 January 2026.
- ↑ KKR And Mustafizur Rahman Controversy Explained: What Is It About?(2 January 2026). Retrieved 3 January 2026.
- ↑ KKR release Mustafizur from IPL 2026 squad following BCCI instructions. ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
- ↑ KKR rope in Blessing Muzarabani for IPL 2026(13 March 2026). Retrieved 13 March 2026.
- ↑ IPL 2026: Amid KKR injury crisis, mentor Dwayne Bravo picks in-house solutions(20 March 2026). Retrieved 22 March 2026.
- ↑ ‘I had 2 chicks at home’: Dwayne Bravo embarrasses himself and KKR; Ajinkya Rahane reminds him the mics are on(21 March 2026). Retrieved 22 March 2026.
- ↑ KKR fans furious as bowling coach Bravo spotted at CSK event during injury crisis(22 March 2026). Retrieved 22 March 2026.
General references
- IPL Season Schedule 2026 | Part I. Indian Premier League Schedule({Template:Date).
- IPL Season Schedule 2026 | Full Schedule. Indian Premier League Schedule({Template:Date).
External links
- Template:Official website
- Kolkata Knight Riders | Indian Premier League
- Kolkata Knight Riders | ESPNCricinfo
Template:Kolkata Knight Riders Template:2026 Indian Premier League