Ajinkya Rahane appointed KKR captain ahead of IPL 2025
India batter Ajinkya Rahane will captain defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League beginning on March 22, the franchise announced on Monday.
Venkatesh Iyer, who has been with KKR for a long time, has been made Rahane's deputy.
Rahane replaces Shreyas Iyer as the skipper with the latter tasked to lead Punjab Kings this season.
Making the announcement, KKR CEO Venky Mysore said, “We are delighted to have someone like Ajinkya Rahane, who brings his experience and maturity as a leader. Also, 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 defence of our title.”
Accepting the leadership role, Rahane said, “It’s an honour to be asked to lead KKR, which has been one of the most successful franchises in the IPL. I think we have an excellent and balanced squad. I look forward to working with everyone and taking up the challenge of defending our title.”
KKR will begin their IPL 2025 campaign with the season opener against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Eden Gardens on March 22.
KKR has made four appearances in the IPL final, winning the championship thrice (2012, 2014, 2024). They finished runners-up in the 2021 season, staging one of the most remarkable comebacks in the tournament's history.
