Purse: Rs. 64.30 crore (highest)
Slots to fill: 13
Overseas slots: 6
The big hole to plug
Andre Russell’s exit leaves KKR without its long-time engine room. The brief is clear: find a like-for-like allrounder who can influence games in short bursts. Cameron Green fits that bill best, and with one of the biggest purses at the table, KKR will back itself to go hard if the bidding heats up.
The opening question
Does KKR stick or twist at the top? Ajinkya Rahane and Sunil Narine opening has worked in phases, but Narine’s recent returns raise a genuine question. If the franchise decides to reset, expect it to look closely at openers and do not rule out a wicketkeeper-batter in that role.
The wicketkeeper puzzle
This is an issue KKR can no longer dodge. All three keepers from the 2025 squad were released, continuing a revolving door that has seen eight different keepers since 2022. In a perfect scenario, this auction is where they finally lock down a first-choice keeper rather than patching the role season by season.
Middle-order and balance calls
Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Rovman Powell sit in the “wait and watch” bracket. Their roles will depend on whether KKR lands its primary targets early or need to improvise later in the auction.
Bowling shopping list
With Anrich Nortje and Spencer Johnson released, an overseas quick is firmly on the agenda. If funds allow, Matheesha Pathirana could be a high-upside punt to add pace and death-overs bite.
KKR enters the auction with money, flexibility and some big calls to make. How it replaces Russell and whether it finally solves the keeper and opening puzzles will shape its entire season.
Published on Dec 16, 2025
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