 "Here's why Kolkata Knight Riders could retain Shreyas Iyer in IPL auction")
Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will enter the mega auction with several of their star performers already secured through pre-auction retentions as they prepare for the competition over the biggest names. The Knight Riders face a difficult decision regarding which players to retain, given the numerous stars who contributed significantly to their title-winning season last year. Check India vs New Zealand 3rd Test Day 1 Live score and match updates here
KKR will be keen to reacquire most of their players, leveraging the right-to-match cards. However, retention choices will not be straightforward, with players like Shreyas Iyer, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, and Rinku Singh presenting genuine dilemmas for the team. With the deadline to submit the list of retained players on October 31, reports suggest that Shreyas Iyer is most likely to be retained by Kolkata. ALSO READ: Here's why Punjab Kings won't retain any player ahead of IPL 2025 Auction
| Shreyas Iyer IPL batting and fielding stats | |||||||||||||
| YEAR | MATCHES | NO | RUNS | HS | AVG | BF | SR | 100 | 50 | 4S | 6S | CT | ST |
| Career | 115 | 18 | 3127 | 96 | 32.24 | 2453 | 127.48 | 0 | 21 | 271 | 113 | 49 | 0 |
| 2024 | 14 | 5 | 351 | 58* | 39 | 239 | 146.86 | 0 | 2 | 34 | 14 | 10 | 0 |
| 2022 | 14 | 1 | 401 | 85 | 30.85 | 298 | 134.56 | 0 | 3 | 41 | 11 | 5 | 0 |
| 2021 | 8 | 3 | 175 | 47* | 35 | 171 | 102.33 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 0 |
| 2020 | 17 | 2 | 519 | 88* | 34.6 | 421 | 123.27 | 0 | 3 | 40 | 16 | 6 | 0 |
| 2019 | 16 | 1 | 463 | 67 | 30.86 | 386 | 119.94 | 0 | 3 | 41 | 14 | 8 | 0 |
| 2018 | 14 | 3 | 411 | 93* | 37.36 | 310 | 132.58 | 0 | 4 | 29 | 21 | 5 | 0 |
| 2017 | 12 | 2 | 338 | 96 | 33.8 | 243 | 139.09 | 0 | 2 | 36 | 10 | 3 | 0 |
| 2016 | 6 | 0 | 30 | 19 | 5 | 43 | 69.76 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| 2015 | 14 | 1 | 439 | 83 | 33.76 | 342 | 128.36 | 0 | 4 | 41 | 21 | 2 | 0 |
With mentor Gautam Gambhir, Ryan ten Doeschate, and assistant coach Abhishek Nayar moving to roles with the Indian national team, KKR will see a refreshed dugout, ultimately bringing a new dynamic to the team at a time when last season’s performance was smooth sailing.
Harbhajan Singh on who should KKR retain
Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh shared his views on who the three-time champions should retain for the upcoming season and KKR’s potential strategy.
"KKR dominated the entire season, so it will be difficult for them to let go of anyone. But, as it's a matter of retention, they have limited spots. If I were to choose my six players for KKR, I would go with Shreyas Iyer, Phil Salt, Narine, Andre Russell, and Rinku Singh. Rinku Singh should definitely be the fifth retained player. For the sixth spot, I would choose Ramandeep Singh. He’s an uncapped player who performed very well last year, and I've seen his domestic cricket performances this year as well. So, I believe this sixth player, Knight Riders, should retain," Harbhajan said.
| KKR’s performance in IPL history | ||
| Season | League standing | Final standing |
| 2008 | 6th out of 8 | League stage |
| 2009 | 8th out of 8 | League stage |
| 2010 | 6th out of 8 | League stage |
| 2011 | 4th out of 10 | Playoffs |
| 2012 | 2nd out of 9 | Champions |
| 2013 | 7th out of 9 | League stage |
| 2014 | 2nd out of 8 | Champions |
| 2015 | 5th out of 8 | League stage |
| 2016 | 4th out of 8 | Playoffs |
| 2017 | 3rd out of 8 | Playoffs |
| 2018 | 3rd out of 8 | Playoffs |
| 2019 | 5th out of 8 | League stage |
| 2020 | 5th out of 8 | League stage |
| 2021 | 4th out of 8 | Runners-up |
| 2022 | 7th out of 10 | League stage |
| 2023 | 7th out of 10 | League stage |
| 2024 | 1st out of 10 | Champions |