Newly appointed captain Ajinkya Rahane joins KKR's camp ahead of IPL 2025 [In Pictures]
Kolkata Knight Riders' newly appointed skipper Ajinkya Rahane has joined their camp as the franchise shared a few pictures of him receiving a grand reception on Tuesday, March 11. In one of the photos posted on Instagram, Rahane was also seen posing with three IPL trophies while wearing a cool outfit.
The Knight Riders had not surprisingly retained Shreyas Iyer ahead of the auction despite captaining the decorated franchise to their third IPL title last year. The Maharashtra-born cricketer, who was let go by the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), was snapped up by the Knight Riders for a base price of ₹1.5 crore and was announced as the skipper. The veteran batter also has captaincy experience in the IPL, having led the Rajasthan Royals previously, while all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer will serve as his deputy.
Although they had released Venkatesh ahead of the auction, he fetched a whopping ₹23.75 crore from them. The seam-bowling all-rounder had played an integral role in their title win last year, clattering 370 runs in 15 matches at 46.25. He also hammered an unbeaten 26-ball 52 in the final against the SunRisers Hyderabad.
"We have an excellent and balanced squad" - Ajinkya Rahane
Addressing his appointment as captain, the 36-year-old said he is looking forward to helping the franchise defend their title successully. He stated, as quoted by ESPN Cricinfo:
"It's an honor 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 CEO Venky Mysore expects the partnership between the captain and vice-captain to bring rich returns for them. He 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 defense of our title."
The Knight Riders will be in action on the first day when they face the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Kolkata.