IPL 2025: Ajinkya Rahane named as KKR Captain, Venkatesh Iyer set for vice-captain role

Kolkata Knight Riders have announced Ajinkya Rahane as captain for the IPL 2025 season.

Along with that, Venkatesh Iyer has been named as vice-captain for the upcoming season.

Venkatesh Iyer was a massive signing in the IPL 2025 auction for KKR as they bought him for Rs 23.75 crore. Rahane, who has been part of the KKR side in the past, was also signed by the three-time IPL champions in the mega auction.

Ajinkya Rahane to Captain KKR

Ajinkya Rahane has previously captained the Rajasthan Royals in his IPL career, while Venkatesh Iyer filled in as deputy for Nitish Rana in the IPL 2023 season. Rahane has also been a distinguished India player and led the team to a famous Test series win in Australia.

Venkatesh Iyer - a key figure in IPL 2024 victory

Venkatesh Iyer was a pivotal part of the KKR setup which won the IPL 2024, their third title in history. The southpaw scored 370 runs last season with a superb strike rate of 159. He, incidentally, also scored the winning run for KKR which won them the title.

Making the announcement, Venky Mysore, CEO of KKR 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."

Accepting the leadership role, Rahane said, "It's an honour 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 will commence their IPL 2025 campaign with the season opener against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Eden Gardens on March 22.