3 marquee players KKR should target in IPL 2025 auction ft. Mohammed Shami
Phil Salt and Mitchell Starc will go down as two of the best signings in Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)'s history. They played a major role in lifting a team that finished seventh in IPL 2023 to a table-topping finish and a title after 10 years, in IPL 2024.
Salt, signed as a last-minuted replacement for his fellow Englishman Jason Roy who pulled out of the tournament, solved a long-time wicketkeeping issue for KKR. He not only gave quick powerplay starts while batting alongside Sunil Narine but also stood out, scoring 435 runs in 12 innings.
The balance he provided with his consistency rubbed through the entire team. And complementing that sturdiness was Starc's fire, in KKR's bowling powerplay and the death overs.
The Australian left-arm quick came with a record price tag and accompanying criticism when he couldn't perform per expectations in the first half of the season. But he changed things up with three match-winning performances in KKR's three most important games -- Mumbai Indians away, first Qualifier and the final.
That clutch temperament and leadership for a young pace bowling group made KKR a force to reckon with for batters. It was transformational for both the squad and the playing XI's attitude.
However, the franchise couldn't retain either of them ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction, and there's no guarantee if after seeing their performances last season other teams would let KKR get them back.
So below, we have listed three players from the Marquee sets at the auction who could be equally good replacements for the big price KKR would have to pay for them, if not even better options:
#3 Arshdeep Singh
There are many reasons for KKR to not bid for Starc again. For one, the kind of magical performances he put up in the playoffs last season aren't sustainable, it won't be smart to pay him a massive fees again and expect him to do that season-after-season.
The three-time-champions need someone more consistent, who performs throughout the season, while also leading from the front by winning a few games singlehandedly. That player should also be good enough so that Harshit Rana and other incoming young pacers could learn from him while also taking up the similar role of powerplay and death bowling.
There are few better options than Arshdeep Singh in that regard. Second only to Jasprit Bumrah in India's T20 bowling attack, Arshdeep offers everything Starc does but with proven consistency of 18, 10, 17 and 19 wickets in the last four seasons.
He was the leader of PBKS attack for over half a decade, showing those qualities even in his early 20s by bowling the difficult overs. Now at 25, he's closing on his peak and has started to win games on his own, making it the perfect time to invest.
At KKR, he would be the perfect partner to Harshit at the death while also allowing the youngster to play more as a middle-overs enforcer. He won't be easy to acquire, though, as almost every team would want to get his signature, but KKR shouldn't shy away from splurging ₹15-17 crore on the left-arm quick.
#2 Mohammed Shami
If Arshdeep is unattainable, KKR should jump on the opportunity to get Mohammed Shami. There won't be a better opportunity to bring him home to West Bengal, the state where he built his career.
He would offer similar leadership skills to Arshdeep but at probably a cheaper price and a bigger emotional value for fans. Shami already loves the Eden Gardens too - he has six wickets in four matches in the IPL and most recently bowled a brilliant four-over spell of 2-18 against South Africa in the 2023 World Cup.
His injury concerns should now be past him after a long time away from the game, but if other franchises are hesitant, KKR might be able to get a cut-price deal on him. For a bowler who took 28 wickets last season and hasn't gone below 19 in the previous five, it would be a no-brainer.
#1 Jos Buttler
After Arshdeep, KKR should consider emptying a big part of their pocket on Jos Buttler in the IPL 2025 auction. His consistency can be gauged by seeing how he was far from his best in 2024 but still smashed two centuries, one of them against KKR's title-winning attack at the Eden Gardens.
Overall, the right-handed batter has scored 276 runs at an average of 69 and a strike-rate of 169.33 at the ground. He would be a clear upgrade on Salt in experience and reliability against spin while not taking away powerplay hitting, innings building and dressing room soft skills.
The brilliant balance of the wicketkeeper opening the batting and not disturbing KKR's middle order would remain intact with Buttler's arrival. Moreover, KKR could even see him as a captaincy option (Buttler ia T20 World Cup-winning leader) or at least a leadership hand to support the new skipper, making his possibily inflated price worth the risk.