![KKR stars who need to prove their worth [Source: @iplt20.com]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1741955839544_kkrstarswhoneedtoprovetheirworth.jpg?type=tq)
KKR stars who need to prove their worth [Source: @iplt20.com]
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season is set to commence on March 22 with a game between Kolkata knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the Eden Gardens. The defending champions will once again be one of the favourites for the cup as they embark on a new journey with a new captain.
The Knight Riders have assembled a strong squad for the upcoming season, but there are 3 players who are under scrutiny for various reasons and they need to silence their critics. Here are these players who need to prove a point during the upcoming season.
1) Rinku Singh
Rinku Singh IPL numbers in 2023, 24)
| Criterion | IPL 2023 | IPL 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 14 | 14 |
| Runs | 474 | 168 |
| Average | 59.25 | 18.67 |
| Strike-rate | 149.53 | 148.67 |
Rinku Singh was one of the top KKR retentions, however, as of late, the star player has been off colour and it affected his batting for Team India. His KKR numbers also dipped in 2024, as compared to the previous season.
In 2023, he amassed 474 runs at an average of 59 and a strike-rate of 149.53. However, the numbers dipped the following season as he only accumulated 168 runs, at an average of just 18.67. KKR have shown plenty of trust in him and it is high time that Rinku rewards them with a similar season to the 2023 one. His performance in the middle order could impact KKR's journey in the upcoming season.
2) Ajinkya Rahane
The newly appointed captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders, Ajinkya Rahane came under a lot of scrutiny after his appointment as many felt he was not the deserving choice to be made the captain.
However, the upcoming IPL season provides an opportunity for Rahane to showcase his captaincy skills and help KKR defend the title. While Rahane has a terrific captaincy record in domestic cricket, his IPL captaincy record is poor as he has only managed to win 36% of his matches.
| Criterion | Data |
|---|---|
| Matches | 25 |
| Won | 9 |
| Lost | 16 |
| Win percentage | 36% |
(Rahane captaincy record in IPL)
The appointment was a controversial one, but the veteran has a chance to redeem himself with a stellar campaign.
3) Venkatesh Iyer
Iyer stats in IPL
| Criterion | Data |
|---|---|
| Matches | 50 |
| Runs | 1326 |
| Strike-rate | 137.13 |
23.75 crore was spent by KKR to buy back Venkatesh Iyer in the IPL mega auction. Almost everyone criticised this decision as they felt Venkatesh Iyer hasn't done enough to justify this price tag.
His stats in the IPL are decent but many feel that KKR should have invested the money somewhere else or should have tried and bought Venkatesh Iyer for a lesser price. He is now the vice-captain of the side and the platform is laid for the KKR star to silence his critics and justify the price tag with a brilliant performance.
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