IPL 2025: 3 Ex-KKR Players Who Will Play For RCB After Mega Auction Swaps

Phil Salt in the KKR jersey [Source: @iamswapnilvats/x.com]Phil Salt in the KKR jersey [Source: @iamswapnilvats/x.com]

The IPL 2025 mega auction saw a couple of days of intense action. The teams gave their best and tried to fill their team with the best candidates for each slot. The Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Kolkata Knight Riders who had an average IPL 2025 auction but one cannot write out they combination they achieved at the end of the event.

The IPL rivalry between KKR and RCB is an intense one. The two teams have over the years present tough competition to each other. During the IPL 2025 auction, we saw some ex-KKR players picked up by RCB. Here is a look at three ex-KKR players who will be donning the jersey of RCB in the ucpoming edition of the IPL - 

3. Rasikh Salam

Rasikh Salam for DC [Source: @Daily_Chattan/x.com]Rasikh Salam for DC [Source: @Daily_Chattan/x.com]

The young Indian pacer, Rasikh Salam was a part of the Kolkata Knight Riders during IPL 2022. This then 22-year-old Jammu and Kashmir pacer was picked up for the base price of INR 20 Lakhs in the auction ahead of the tournament. However, after not much utilisation of the talent, the franchise relased him. During the IPL 2025 mega auction, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru picked him for a price of INR 6 Cr. In fact, the young pacer was the most expensive uncapped player for the IPL 2025 auction.

2. Suyash Sharma

The Indian mystery spinner was picked up by the Kolkata Knight Riders during the auction ahead of IPL 2023. Suyash Sharma went to the IPL 2024 champions for his base price of INR 20 Lakhs. In the two seasons that he stayed with KKR, he got to play 13 matches and picked up 10 wickets in them while having an economy of 8.65.

Suyash Sharma [Source: @Crick_logist/x.com]Suyash Sharma [Source: @Crick_logist/x.com]

Even though he showed quite a bit of promise in his intial days with the franchise and it looked like they will be trusting him in the future, they released him ahead of IPL 2025 auction. Strange was the fact that KKR did not even bid for the spinner when he came under the hammer. The final bidding war was between Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. The RCB won the war and secured the services of the player for INR 2.60 Cr.

1. Phil Salt

Phil Salt came in as a replacement for Jason Roy during IPL 2024 and took it by storm. His aggressive batting at the beginning of the innings and the consistent starts along with Sunil Narine was one of the prime reasons that they won the trophy last season. In IPL 2024 he played 12 matches and scored 435 runs at an average of 39.55 and a strike rate of 182.01. He provided some dynamic starts to the team and did it on a consistent basis. This one of the prime reasons that KKR won the IPL.

Phil Salt For KKR [Source: @Indxrz/x.com]Phil Salt For KKR [Source: @Indxrz/x.com]

Following his brilliant show, it was surprising that KKR released him ahead of IPL 2025 auction. However, when the English batter came under the hammer the defending champions gave their best to acquire him. However, due to budget constraints, they had to stop at INR 11.25 Cr and RCB picked him at a cost of INR 11.50 Cr. In the next season the star batter of KKR from IPL 2024 will most probably be seen opening for RCB alongside the Indian maverick, Virat Kohli.