The 2025 IPL auctions are around the corner, and both Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are getting themselves ready to bridge the gaps in their respective teams and thereby fortify the team compositions. Since neither of the teams has an RTM option, they would have to smartly bid for a few old players from the past seasons who would make a huge difference.
Essential old players RR and KKR could be brought back in IPL 2025
Rajasthan Royals (RR)
Players Retained: Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, Sandeep Sharma Remaining Purse: Rs 41 crore RTM Option: No Key Old Players to Target:
1- Jos Buttler
Jos Buttler has been one of the big-ticket players for Rajasthan Royals since joining the franchise, with destructive batting and match-winning abilities. In the 2022 season, Buttler’s 863 runs helped RR reach the final, and he won the Orange Cap that year. Despite his age (33), Buttler remains a valuable player with the potential to dominate the top order. If other franchises bid aggressively for him, RR might find themselves priced out, but his consistency makes him a player they should strongly consider.
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2- Yuzvendra Chahal
The Purple Cap winner from 2022, Chahal has been the mainstay of RR’s bowling. He has been phenomenal in picking wickets during the middle overs and controlling the game with his leg-spin and is certainly an asset to the side. Considering that he goes again in the auctions, RR is likely to bid aggressively for the player despite the keen competition for him.
3- Avesh Khan
Avesh Khan has evolved into one of the premier fast bowlers in the IPL. His exceptional death over the economy rate in 2023 caught the attention of many, and his return to the Indian T20I squad proves his quality. Avesh could be a valuable addition to RR’s pace attack, especially given his success in the death overs. However, his price tag might increase, so RR will need to be cautious in their bidding.
4- Prasidh Krishna
It has been two seasons of IPL since Prasidh Krishna has been away from cricket for his injuries. His comeback has, indeed, been splendid. He got into the Indian Test side and proved himself as one of the most lethal pacers in the current squad. He hits with good hard lengths and picks up those key wickets at vital stages. Although RR might have to balance his price with their budget, Krishna would prove to be a great addition to their pace attack.
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5- Trent Boult
Trent Boult at 35, may not have many years left in the IPL, but his skill in the powerplay overs remains unparalleled. He has been a standout performer for RR with the new ball, consistently delivering early breakthroughs. If available at a reasonable price, Boult could provide that crucial early wicket-taking ability that RR will be keen to strengthen.
6- Ravichandran Ashwin
This is an attractive buy for RR with all-round skill sets from Ashwin, who, despite his 37 years, is a seasoned campaigner. He can contribute both with bat and ball while bowling in the middle overs, controlling the game at the right moments, and even getting crucial contributions with the bat in tight situations. On a team already having a good core of players, Ashwin’s experience can be a very telling difference.
7- Kuldeep Sen
Since he had a dream season in 2022, Kuldeep Sen wasn’t as impressive in 2023. Having reached 28, he is still very young and can be a core player for RR. With his success in the past, RR could consider bringing him on board at a relatively lower price by hoping that he regains his best form to strengthen their pace attack.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
Players Retained: Rinku Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Harshit Rana, Ramandeep Singh
Remaining Purse: Rs 51 crore
RTM Option: No
Key Old Players to Target:
1- Nitish Rana
Nitish Rana has been the most consistent player over the last several seasons for KKR and has been an asset to the franchise. His leadership skills found a channel in 2023 when he was a part of the team as its captain during the time of Shreyas Iyer’s unavailability. Though the opportunities that came his way in 2024 were few, his capability to score heavily in the middle order makes him an important player KKR should look to bring back.
Given his experience and leadership skills and batting form, Rana could lend balance and stability to their middle order.
2- Venkatesh Iyer
Venkatesh Iyer has done exceptionally well for KKR in the past seasons, particularly because he can deliver match-winning contributions with bat and ball. He did confirm his ability by scoring an IPL century in the season of 2023. With his all-around skills, Iyer is a strong player for KKR, and they would probably look for him to strengthen the top and middle order.
3. Angkrish Raghuvanshi
The young talent, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, made an impact in IPL 2024 with his aggressive batting style. His strike rate of 155.23 in seven innings showed that he could provide the fireworks KKR needs at the top of the order. At just 20 years old, Raghuvanshi has immense potential, and KKR may see him as a future star.
His price in 2024 will be low, making him an exciting prospect for KKR, and they will again search for him.
4. Harshit Rana
A gem for KKR, Harshit Rana was an integral component of their pace attack last season. His raw pace and picking up wickets make him an exciting prospect. Of course, since KKR has retained him, they clearly value his skill set, and his continued development could make him a vital part of their bowling attack in the coming years.
5- Vaibhav Arora
Vaibhav Arora’s performances in late seasons have been noticed a lot, especially after he did so well during the 2024 season. He bowls well in crucial situations, which he can do with ease as recently seen in the final. This makes him precious for KKR. If budget is concerned, KKR might choose to opt for Arora instead of Mitchell Starc, and so for the reason that Arora gives consistent performances at a cheaper price.
6- Mitchell Starc
Mitchell Starc’s bowling skills are well known, but KKR may struggle to reach the auction price he would demand. Starc played a key role in winning for KKR, and his ability to bowl at key moments made him a lethal player. If KKR can fit him into their budget, he would be a prized acquisition, but his high price could see them focus on other options like Arora or a younger pace talent.
Both Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders will need to balance their available budget with the need for experienced players who can bring immediate value to their squads. RR might look to readmit Jos Buttler and Yuzvendra Chahal, while KKR will likely go for Nitish Rana and Venkatesh Iyer to settle on the batting department.
The franchise has a purse of Rs 41 crore and should judiciously spend its money, especially on big-ticket players like Buttler and Chahal. Meanwhile, KKR’s higher purse of Rs 51 crore gives them more flexibility to target a wider range of players, including Mitchell Starc and emerging talents like Raghuvanshi and Arora.
Both teams will be keen to create a balanced squad that can compete for the IPL title once again.
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