Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have appointed Ajinkya Rahane as the captain ahead of IPL 2025. KKR have had a dynamic history of leadership, with several captains shaping the franchise over the years. The IPL team is owned by Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla.
Sourav Ganguly, the franchise’s first leader from 2008 to 2010, led KKR in 27 matches, winning 13 with a 48.14% win rate. However, he failed to take the team beyond the group stage. Brendon McCullum’s brief tenure in 2009 saw just 3 wins in 13 matches. Jacques Kallis captained only 2 matches, winning one.
Dinesh Karthik (2018-2020) managed a 51.35% win rate in 37 games while Eoin Morgan (2020-2021) struggled, securing 11 wins in 24 matches. Nitish Rana briefly led in 2023, winning 6 of 14 games. However, Shreyas Iyer became KKR’s most successful captain in the post-Gambhir era, guiding the team to their third IPL title in 2024.
Before Shreyas, Gautam Gambhir had been KKR’s most accomplished captain, leading the team from 2011 to 2017. Under his leadership, KKR won two IPL trophies (2012 and 2014) and registered 69 wins in 122 matches with a 56.55% win rate.
Social media reactions
As IPL 2025 approaches, KKR aim to rediscover their championship-winning form under Rahane’s leadership. Here’s how social media reacted to KKR’s announcement. Some called it a “reat move” while some called the decision “horrible”.
“Hard work truly pays off. A highly underrated captain has finally found his place. Wishing Ajinkya all the best,” came from one user.
“Ideally, rahane shouldn’t even be in the playing 11 for all matches, aur use captain bana diya,” wrote another.
“3 Captains in 3 Seasons..Not an ideal Scenario !!” wrote one user.
“He will do his best. Come on KKR. We need to win this year too,” reacted one fan.
