3 players KKR might retain ahead of the mega-auction

Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders have voted against the mega-auction ahead of the IPL 2025. However, BCCI is in no mood to scrap it, which might force the team management to narrow down on certain players and offer them a new contract for the next cycle. Notably, the Apex Council has yet to finalise the number of retentions for each franchise and whether or not they will bring back the Right to Match (RTM) cards. 

For Kolkata, the job is even tougher. Their mentor Gautam Gambhir has already left the squad to join the Indian team, as did batting and fielding coaches Abhishek Nayar and Ryan ten Doeschate, respectively. First, they need to fix their think tank and later, they have a tough job of letting the majority of their players from their winning squad leave for the mega-auction. 

However, there are players that the franchise will not leave at any cost. Who are they? Here are three players that KKR are likely to retain ahead of the 2025 mega-auction:

3. Andre Russell

Kolkata aren’t parting ways with Andre Russell anytime soon. The West Indies international is a force to reckon with in the shortest format and was one of their biggest match-winners in 2024. Be it with the bat, or with the ball, Russell has proved his worth and for the same reason, KKR will back him, especially because the all-rounder is also part of all of their franchise teams across the world.

In 2024, Russell smashed 222 runs in 15 matches at a jaw-dropping strike rate of 185. With the ball, he picked up 19 wickets, finishing as the fourth-leading wicket-taker. There were doubts regarding his fitness, as he wasn’t getting any younger, but the 36-year-old proved himself and showed that he is still the main guy in the Kolkata team.

Among foreigners, there are other options in the form of Sunil Narine, Phil Salt and Mitchell Starc among others but the city of joy shares a very special relationship with ‘Muscle Russle’, as he is popularly known. He loves to play at Eden Gardens and understands the conditions well, which is another reason why KKR might announce him as their first retention.