The defending champions of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), have officially named Ajinkya Rahane as their captain and Venkatesh Iyer as the vice captain for the upcoming 2025 season. The much-anticipated announcement puts an end to weeks of speculation.
KKR will kick off their TATA IPL 2025 campaign with the season opener against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the iconic Eden Gardens on Saturday, March 22.
Accepting the leadership role, Rahane expressed his gratitude: “It’s an honour to be asked to lead KKR, one of the most successful franchises in the IPL. I believe we have an excellent and balanced squad. I look forward to working with everyone and taking up the challenge of defending our title.”
Venky Mysore, CEO of KKR, praised Rahane’s leadership qualities during the announcement. “We are delighted to have someone like Ajinkya Rahane, who brings his experience and maturity as a leader. Venkatesh Iyer has been a franchise player for KKR and brings a lot of leadership qualities. We are confident that they will combine well as we start the defense of our title.”
KKR has made four appearances in the IPL final, winning the championship three times (2012, 2014, and 2024). They finished as runners-up in the 2021 season, staging one of the most remarkable comebacks in the tournament’s history. Additionally, TKR’s Men’s Team has won the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) championship four times in ten years since the Knight Riders took over the franchise.
The TKR Women, Knight Riders’ first-ever Women’s Team, also made history by winning the inaugural Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) championship in 2022.
As KKR prepares to defend their title, the appointment of Rahane and Iyer promises to bring stability and leadership to the team, bolstering their chances of success in the upcoming season.
