The rumours around the future of some players from Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) can now be put to rest. It comes after the announcement of the 2026 KKR retention list ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) mini-auction next month. After a disappointing eighth-place finish, KKR have made significant changes in its roster and team management. They have released 10 players and inducted Abhishek Nayar, Shane Watson, and Tim Southee as head coach, assistant coach, and bowling coach, respectively. Let’s take a detailed look at how KKR’s 2026 squad shapes up after the retentions and releases.

How’s 2026 KKR Retention List

The departure of skipper Shreyas Iyer proved to be fatal for KKR in the 2025 season. Under the leadership of veteran batter Ajinkya Rahane, the Kolkata-based franchise managed to win only five out of 14 games. When it comes to retentions, the team management has trusted Rahane, who scored the most (390) runs for the side last year. The experienced spin duo of Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy will also play an important role in guiding the youngsters and newcomers. Other retained players like Manish Pandey, Rinku Singh, and Rovman Powell will look to maintain KKR’s tempo in the middle/slog overs.

 

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Due to their inability to give quick starts, openers Quinton de Kock and Rahmanullah Gurbaz were released from the squad. The acquisition of Venkatesh Iyer for INR 23.75 crore misfired, as the southpaw failed to live up to the expectations, and he was omitted from the roster. Moreover, Andre Russell, who has been one of the consistent all-round performers for the side, was also sidelined from the KKR setup.

2026 KKR Retained Players List: Ajinkya Rahane, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Anukul Roy, Harshit Rana, Manish Pandey, Ramandeep Singh, Rinku Singh, Rovman Powell, Sunil Narine, Umran Malik, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakaravarthy.

2026 KKR Released Players List: Andre Russell, Anrich Nortje, Chetan Sakariya, Luvnith Sisodia, Moeen Ali, Quinton de Kock, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Spencer Johnson, Venkatesh Iyer, and Mayank Markande (traded to Mumbai Indians)

Surprise 2026 Retentions by KKR

Umran Malik

One of the most shocking names in the 2026 KKR retention list was that of Umran Malik. Touted to be the future of India’s pace bowling attack, Malik fizzled out early due to injury issues and indifferent form. The right-arm pacer was ruled out of the entire IPL 2025 due to injury and returned to the field in August after an 18-month absence. Despite a lack of game time, the franchise has trusted Malik due to his raw pace and long-term plans.

Ramandeep Singh

Although Ramandeepp Singh is a gun fielder, he hasn’t proved his ability as a batter and bowler in the IPL. He scored only 47 runs in seven innings at an average of 9.40 and didn’t bowl a single over in the 2025 edition. It will be interesting to see whether Ramandeep’s abilities can be effectively utilized under the new team management.

Surprise 2026 Release by KKR

The swashbuckling all-rounder, Andre Russell, could not find a place among the 2026 KKR retained players. He was part of KKR from 2014 to 2025 and garnered 2,593 runs and picked 122 wickets in 133 games. Russell contributed with 222 runs and 19 wickets in KKR’s IPL 2024 victory. However, with only 167 runs and eight wickets in 2025, he was released from the squad. But, as per the playing style of Andre Russell, you could expect him to turn the tables and win games single-handedly. The omission of the experienced all-rounder is definitely a tough pill to swallow for the KKR fans.

3 Players KKR Can Target in IPL 2026 Auction

After the 2026 KKR retention list, the franchise is left with the highest purse of INR 64.3 crore to fill their 13 vacant spots. Here’s ideal players for them to target in the mini auction.

#1 Cameron Green

After the exclusion of Andre Russell from the 2026 KKR retained players list, they will target a proven all-rounder in the shortest format. Australia’s Cameron Green suits the bill perfectly, as he has regained full fitness and has experience playing in the cash-rich league. Green has garnered 707 runs at an average of 41.58, with a top score of 100*. With the ball, he has bagged 16 wickets in 29 games at an economy of 9.07. With enough purse amount, KKR can go all out to secure the services of the hot prospect.

#2 David Miller

A reliable middle-order batter, David Miller faced the axe from the Lucknow Super Giants team management. The reason might be due to his mediocre form in 2025, where he scored 153 runs at an average of 30.60. However, Miller has an excellent track record in IPL, where he has been a glue to the batting order for his respective franchises. He slammed 481 runs for the eventual champions, the Gujarat Titans, in the IPL 2022. In the absence of enough finishers, Miller can be the backbone of KKR’s middle-order.

#3 Matheesha Pathirana

The Chennai Super Kings parted ways with the death-over specialist, Matheesha Pathirana. The Sri Lankan pacer earned praise by picking 32 wickets in 18 games across the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Although he grabbed 13 wickets in 12 appearances, an economy of over 10 cut short his tenure at CSK. After the release of Anrich Nortje and Spencer Johnson, Pathirana could be a lethal pace bowling option for KKR in the 2026 edition due to his accurate yorkers and effective slower balls.

Conclusion

With 13 spots to fill and a hefty INT 64 crore purse, KKR will be shopping actively in the forthcoming IPL auction. It will be interesting to see some fresh faces in the Knight colours for IPL 2026.