KKR IPL 2026: Full List of Retained and Released Players for Kolkata Knight Riders IPL Auction and Details
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will look to refresh their team after finishing eighth in IPL 2025. After parting ways with their 2024 title-winning captain, Shreyas Iyer, and spending more than 23 crore on Venkatesh Iyer, KKR struggled to create a winning team and had weaknesses in several areas.
Before the IPL 2026 mini-auction, KKR’s main focus will be to raise money to rebuild a strong squad. This could mean releasing some key players and then possibly bringing them back at a lower cost, while also addressing other team needs.
What are the IPL 2026 Retention rules?
There won’t be a big auction for IPL 2026. Instead, a smaller one will take place, giving teams more flexibility with their existing players. Teams will decide which players to keep or release based on their budget and strategy.
- Teams may retain as many players as they want.
- Each squad must consist of 18-25 players.
- The total spending must remain within the Rs 120 crore salary cap.
Here is the full list of Retained players by Kolkata Knight Riders –
| S.NO. |
NAME |
Country |
| 1. |
Rinku Singh |
India |
| 2. |
Angkrish Raghuvanshi |
India |
| 3. |
Rovman Powell |
West Indies |
| 4. |
Ajinkya Rahane |
India |
| 5. |
Manish Pandey |
India |
| 6. |
Sunil Narine |
West Indies |
| 7. |
Ramandeep Singh |
India |
| 8. |
Anukul Roy |
India |
| 9. |
Varun Chakravarthy |
India |
| 10. |
Harshit Rana |
India |
| 11. |
Vaibhav Arora |
India |
| 12. |
Umran Malik |
India |
Here is the full list of Top Released players by the Kolkata Knight Riders –
| S.NO. |
NAME |
Country |
PRICE |
| 1. |
Andre Russell |
West Indies |
Rs 12 Crore |
| 2. |
Venkatesh Iyer |
India |
Rs 23.75 Crore |
How much money will the Kolkata Knight Riders take for the IPL 2026 Auction?
Kolkata Knight Riders have Rs 64.3 Crore left in their budget for the IPL 2026 mini-auction. This gives them enough funds to make some key buys and improve their team. With this amount, KKR will likely focus on strengthening areas where they need more support, like bowling or batting. They’ll aim to make wise purchases without going over budget, ensuring they have a well-rounded and strong squad for the next season.
When is the IPL 2026 Auction?
The IPL 2026 mini-auction is set for December 16 in Abu Dhabi, marking the second consecutive year it will be held abroad. The previous year, the IPL 2025 auction took place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
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