• Home
  • Player Stories
  • Who Is Kunal Singh Rathore The Rising Star Who Has Replaced Nitish Rana In Kkr Vs Rr

Who Is Kunal Singh Rathore? The Rising Star Who Has Replaced Nitish Rana In KKR vs RR

Sakshi Sharma

Kunal Singh Rathore (Source:@bhhupendrajogi,x.com)Kunal Singh Rathore (Source:@bhhupendrajogi,x.com)

In a significant development during Match 53 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, Rajasthan Royals (RR) handed a debut to young wicketkeeper-batter Kunal Singh Rathore, who replaced the in-form Nitish Rana in the playing XI. 

The Royals is playing against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the iconic Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on Sunday evening, where KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane won the toss and opted to bat first.

Ahead of the high-stakes encounter, both teams made strategic changes to their lineups. The most prominent talking point was the absence of Nitish Rana, one of RR’s most consistent performers this season.

 The left-handed batter was ruled out of the match due to a slight niggle, paving the way for 22-year-old Kunal Singh Rathore to step into the limelight.

Who is Kunal Singh Rathore?

Kunal Singh Rathore is a promising cricketer from Kota, Rajasthan. The star was acquired by RR at his base price of INR 30 lakhs during the IPL 2025 mega-auction. His inclusion strengthens RR’s wicketkeeping options amid the continued absence of regular skipper Sanju Samson, who remains sidelined due to injury. Rathore now joins Dhruv Jurel as one of two available wicketkeeper-batters in the RR camp.

Kunal Singh Rathore Stats

The left-hander made his T20 debut in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy during the 2022-23 domestic season. He scored 147 runs at an impressive average of 36.75. He followed that up with another steady performance in the 2023-24 season, tallying 107 runs at an average of 35.66. Notably, he has showcased improved aggression and ability to accelerate during the middle overs.

In addition to his T20 credentials, Rathore has also featured in 15 first-class matches, scoring 580 runs at an average of 30.52 and a strike rate of 68.88. 

KKR & RR' s Team Changes

Meanwhile, RR made two more changes to their side: Wanindu Hasaranga came in for Kumar Kartikeya, and Yudhvir Singh replaced Fazalhaq Farooqi. On the other side, KKR brought in Moeen Ali, Vaibhav Arora, and Ramandeep Singh for Rovman Powell, Harshit Rana, and Anukul Roy.