Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) failed to retain their title this year in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The Ajinkya Rahane-led side finished eighth on the points table, having won five and lost seven matches. Only Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings finished below them in the standings.
KKR did not have a memorable time in the IPL 2025 mega auction. They spent a whopping INR 23.75 crore to acquire the services of Venkatesh Iyer but the southpaw did not have a fruitful outing, aggregating just
142 runs in 11 matches at an average of 20.29. Taking Iyer for such a massive amount prevented KKR from signing certain players who could have added balance to the side.
Ahead of the IPL 2026 auction, the three-time champions may trade some players to ensure they have sufficient funds to build a solid team. Here's a look at some players KKR might want to trade out to other teams.
3 Players KKR might trade before the IPL 2026 Auction:
3. Quinton de Kock
Quinton de Kock did not have a great time at Kolkata Knight Riders last season. The South African cricketer only played eight matches, scoring 152 runs at an average of 21.71 and a strike rate of 129.91. Out of the 152 runs he scored, 97 came in one match against the Rajasthan Royals.
However, despite one bad season, de Kock could still be a hot pick, especially in the mini auction, because of his experience of scoring runs consistently in the IPL. He is also one of the safest wicketkeepers going around in world cricket. KKR could find interested teams that would want to trade de Kock into their setup.
2. Anrich Nortje
Anrich Nortjehas had his struggles with injuries. However, when in rhythm, the right-arm pacer can be a force to reckon with. He has the ability to take wickets in clusters and also bowl the difficult overs at the back end.
Last year, Nortje played only two matches for KKR and could not make a mark. The Kolkata-based franchise would want to trade the 31-year-old out to some interested team. Nortje's experience and ability to bowl consistently at speeds of 145 kph will make him an asset, only if he stays fit.
1. Venkatesh Iyer
Venkatesh Iyer has been with KKR since 2021. He made important contributions to the franchise in 2021, when they reached the final, and in 2024, when they lifted the title. However, many believed that KKR overspent on Venkatesh during the IPL 2025 mega auction, as shelling out INR 23.75 crore for a player not even on the national team's radar seemed to be a shocking move.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) were interested in acquiring Venkatesh's services in the mega auction. Head coach Andy Flower had mentioned later on that they had plans in place for Venkatesh. The Madhya Pradesh all-rounder could be traded in by the defending champions, and this would add INR 23.75 crore to KKR's purse, which could serve them well in the auction. If not RCB, there could be many other teams looking to rope in the 30-year-old.
