The fight to win the IPL 2025 trophy is getting more exciting for cricket fans every year. Teams plan all year to make a strong squad. This year, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) became champions for the first time. Under Rajat Patidar’s captaincy, Virat Kohli finally lifted the IPL trophy.
But last year’s winners, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), upset fans by losing many matches in a row. So, the team decided to bring a strong captain for next year. But this plan has also failed for KKR.
Sanju not coming to KKR
Rajasthan Royals kept Sanju Samson for ₹18 crore before the IPL 2025 mega auction. The star batsman hurt his finger during the T20 series against England (IND vs ENG) in February. Later, he injured his ribs during IPL 2025. Because of this, Sanju played only 9 matches and scored 285 runs.
After that, many thought Rajasthan (RR) might release the 30-year-old player before IPL 2026. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) showed interest in taking him. But sources say Rajasthan officials have decided not to release Sanju Samson. A team source told the media, “Rajasthan Royals will not transfer Sanju Samson or any of their players. He will continue as captain.”
Knights under pressure
In IPL 2025, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) made Ajinkya Rahane their captain. But the team did not perform well under him. The defending champions lost 7 out of 14 league matches. Big players like Sunil Narine, Venkatesh Iyer and Andre Russell were not in good form with the bat. Because of this, KKR is now working to rebuild the team before IPL 2026.
KKR Looking for New Captain After Sanju Samson Deal Fails
The team’s head coach, Chandrakant Pandit, has already resigned from his post. The officials were trying to bring Sanju Samson as the new captain. Now that hope is gone, they are looking for other options. According to sources, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) may release Venkatesh Iyer. There are reports that he could be traded to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for Phil Salt.