Kolkata Knight Riders retain senior players Ajinkya Rahane, Manish Pandey and Sunil Narine ahead of IPL 2026 auction

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Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Friday released their list of retained players ahead of the TATA IPL 2026 Auction, opting to continue with a core group that blends seasoned performers with emerging talent. The three-time IPL champions have retained senior players Ajinkya Rahane, Manish Pandey and Sunil Narine, along with key contributors Varun Chakaravarthy, Rinku Singh, Harshit Rana and Angkrish Raghuvanshi.

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The franchise said the retention strategy "reflects its long-term philosophy of nurturing talented youngsters while relying on proven match-winners to anchor the group". KKR's retained squad includes a mix of Indian and overseas players who have contributed consistently in recent seasons.

The IPL 2026 auction is scheduled to be held on December 16 at Abu Dhabi.

KKR enter the auction with Rs 64.3 crore remaining in their purse and 13 available squad slots, including six overseas spots.

Retained players: Ajinkya Rahane, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Anukul Roy, Harshit Rana, Manish Pandey, Ramandeep Singh, Rinku Singh, Rovman Powell, Sunil Narine, Umran Malik, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakaravarthy.

Available slots: 13 (including six overseas).

Available purse: Rs 64.3 crore.