Ajinkya Rahane to Venkatesh Iyer, 5 KKR players to watch out during IPL 2025

Kolkata Knight Riders under the brand new leadership of Ajinkya Rahane will take on Rajat Patidar's Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the opening match of the 2025 edition of the Indian Premier League.

Rahane is an essential link between the openers and the middle order for KKR because of his cool-headed and collected demeanor in the top order. He ended as the tournament's highest scorer with a strike rate of 164.56, demonstrating his exceptional recent performance in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT).

Venkatesh Iyer scored 370 runs at an average of 46.25 in 13 innings, ranking third among KKR's IPL 2024 run scorers. KKR spent INR 23.75 crore to lure him back and appointed him vice-captain, even though he was not initially retained.

Luvnith Sisodia, the Karnataka wicketkeeper-batter, is a promising young player. His talent as a power batter was demonstrated by his impressive batting during the Maharaja T20 Trophy with the Gulbarga Mystics.

One of T20 cricket's most explosive openers, Quinton de Kock, was a huge acquisition for KKR in the 2025 super auction. He will be keen to recover, though, following a dismal IPL 2024 season with the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), in which he scored just 250 runs at 22.72 in 11 games.

For KKR, a fully-fit Anrich Nortje may be a deadly weapon. The South African sprinter, who can reach speeds of up to 140 kph, has recently recovered from a back ailment that prevented him from participating in the Champions Trophy and SA20.