By Ankit Kumar | Updated: August 25, 2025 2:52 PM IST
In the IPL, teams often bet on new players, but making them captain does not always work. KKR bought Ajinkya Rahane for Rs 1.5 crore and handed him the captaincy. The result was disappointing—the 2024 champion slipped to eighth place in 2025.
Rahane contributed well with the bat and was the most successful batsman, scoring 390 runs. Still, the team's performance was poor. In such a situation, the question arises whether Rahane was the right choice to take over the captaincy?
The biggest issue now facing the team management is captaincy. Either Rahane will have to be completely removed, or the responsibility of leadership will have to be taken away from him. In both situations, change is considered certain.
KKR has been swapping captains in the last few years. After Nitish Rana, Shreyas Iyer, and Rahane, now another new face can be seen. Possible names include Rinku Singh, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, and Venkatesh Iyer.
Venkatesh Iyer, who was bought for 23.75 crores and handed the vice-captaincy, missed a big opportunity. He scored just 142 runs in 11 matches and did not even bowl. In such a situation, his chances of captaincy seem almost over.
The future of the team may be in the hands of Rinku Singh. He has been associated with KKR for a long time, has scored 1099 runs in 59 matches, and performed brilliantly in 2023. He is considered to be the strongest contender for the captaincy due to his deep understanding of the team system.
KKR management needs clarity on the new captain before the next season. The sooner this decision is made, the better the team will be able to prepare. Maybe this time Rinku Singh will get the opportunity that is already being discussed.