3 Players KKR might trade before IPL 2026 Auction

Published - 08 Oct 2025, 17:40 IST | Updated - 08 Oct 2025, 17:54 IST

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.

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.