The wait for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) fans finally got over on Monday as the franchise announced Ajinkya Rahane as the skipper for the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). KKR and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will kick-off the cash-rich league on March 22 at the former's home venue Eden Gardens.
Rahane will be spending his second stint with the franchise having first played for the franchise in the 2022 edition. Reflecting his thoughts on the new role, the seasoned professional 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.”
Rahane was acquired by KKR for Rs 1.50 crore at the mega auction held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia last year. Meanwhile, Venkatesh Iyer, who stunned most with his demand after KKR repurchased the all-rounder for a whopping Rs 23.75 crore at the auction, has been named the team's vice-captain. The move shows the franchise's faith on the all-rounder, who has now been with the three-time IPL winners since 2021.
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.”
Although Rahane boasts of a rich leadership skill, a lot of KKR's success will depend on their combination. KKR was one of the two franchises that made all six retentions heading into the auction, leaving them with no RTM (right-to-match) advantage.
This showed the management's willingness to stick with its core, which led them to the title last season and form a team around them.
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