KKR finished eighth on the IPL 2025 points table.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) assistant coach Shane Watson sang praises for head coach Abhishek Nayar for his deep intel of domestic talent. This knowledge helped the franchise make strong signings at the IPL 2026 auction, which took place on December 16 in Abu Dhabi.
In a YouTube video posted by the Knight Riders, Watson highlighted Nayar’s intel with State associations. He elaborated on how Nayar’s vast knowledge of domestic players kept the franchise ahead in scouting.
“Abhishek Nayar seems to know almost every cricketer on the planet, where they are, what they’re doing, and how they’re performing. I’m not sure I’ve met anyone with such deep insight. He had two or three options for every role. He was always sending me videos of other players, and because of Abhishek’s information, we always had that confidence,” Watson shared.
After releasing 13 players, KKR had a great opportunity to strengthen their squad and address weaknesses exposed last season, making notable additions. They made record buys, signing Cameron Green for INR 25.20 crore and Matheesha Pathirana for INR 18 crore. They also signed several promising uncapped domestic players, including Tejasvi Singh, Kartik Tyagi, Prashant Solanki, Daksh Kamra, and Sarthak Ranjan.
Tejasvi has earned fame for his ability to hit the ball long, having recently tied the record for the fastest fifty by an Indian in T20 cricket, previously held by Yuvraj Singh, during the Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2025. Sarthak, the son of politician Pappu Yadav, can dominate any bowling attack with his strength.
Tyagi, who represented India in the U19 World Cup 2020, already boasts IPL experience. Solanki has shone in domestic cricket, becoming the second-highest wicket-taker (17) in the Maharashtra Premier League 2025. On the other hand, Kamra brings a sense of mystery and shares bowling skills with Varun Chakavarthy.
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After finishing eighth on the points table last season, KKR opted for a major overhaul at the IPL 2026 auction, parting ways with long-serving players Venkatesh Iyer and Andre Russell. The franchise entered the mini-auction with the biggest budget of INR 64.3 crore and, as expected, they were the busiest team, filling the most spots (13).
The Knight Riders had much to address at the IPL 2026 auction. They recorded the fewest runs (1,886) and had the second-lowest strike rate (143.20) in IPL 2025. They also hit the fewest boundaries, with 172 fours and 101 sixes. With the ball, the franchise’s pacers had the second-worst economy rate of 10.71, despite bowling the fewest overs of seam bowling.
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