IPL 2025: 5 Flop signings of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)

The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) entered the 2025 IPL season as defending champions, aiming to repeat their successful 2024 campaign. However, under new leadership from Ajinkya Rahane and head coach Chandrakant Pandit, the team struggled to maintain consistency.

With 5 wins, 5 losses, and 1 no-result in 11 games, KKR found themselves in sixth place on the table, needing a late push to secure a playoff berth. Several high-profile signings failed to deliver, leading to mixed results across the season.

Today, we look at 5 such signings by KKR in the IPL 2025 auction that flopped in the tournament.

Here are the 5 Flop signings of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in IPL 2025:

1. Quinton de Kock

Inconsistency defined Quinton de Kock's IPL 2025 stint with KKR. Though praised for his unbeaten 97 against the Rajasthan Royals, he failed to maintain that level, scoring just 143 runs in 7 innings before being dropped.

His inability to provide steady starts added pressure on the middle order. The team's poor batting results throughout the season were partly caused by his erratic performances, which did not warrant his position as a senior opener.

2. Moeen Ali

Bought for ₹2 crore, Moeen Ali was expected to cover for Sunil Narine or Varun Chakaravarthy. He started well, taking 2/23 against Rajasthan Royals, but faded as the season went on, finishing with 6 wickets in 6 matches.

His batting was underwhelming, and his off-spin failed to threaten batters regularly. In the long term, his signing was a less profitable investment for KKR because his dual-role expectations were mostly not fulfilled.

3. Spencer Johnson

Australian pacer Spencer Johnson joined KKR as Mitchell Starc’s replacement. But Johnson struggled to adjust to Indian conditions. He often leaked runs in key overs and lacked control and variation. He took just 1 wicket in 4 matches at an economy of 11.73.

His poor show forced KKR to rely more on spin, exposing their lack of depth in pace. His failure to perform well under duress brought to light the dangers of purchasing relatively unproven foreign pacers for the IPL.

4. Angkrish Raghuvanshi

One of the brightest young superstars in the previous two seasons of the IPL, Angkrish Raghuvanshi was bought back by the KKR franchise in the IPL 2025. Unlike the previous IPL seasons, Raghuvanshi struggled with not having a permanent batting position in the playing XI. His 286 runs in 11 matches look good, but strike rate of 145 and only one fifty stings.

His inexperience at the highest level became evident as the tournament progressed. His failures at the top of the batting order, exposed the brittle middle order of the KKR. While Raghuvanshi has shown immense potential, the lack of consistent contributions underscored the challenges he faced in this IPL 2025.

5. Venkatesh Iyer

Venkatesh Iyer returned to KKR for a massive ₹23.75 crore using the RTM card. He was then named the vice-captain of the KKR franchise as well, putting a lot of expectations on the shoulders of the young MP all-rounder. However, his form dipped drastically in 2025.

But because of his poor performance, he was left out of the starting lineup for one match. Even after a strong season, Iyer was unable to defend his high price tag. His 142 runs in 11 IPL 2025 games, including one fifty, are evidence that even the greatest players may succumb to financial pressure. His poor performance put further strain on the team's budget and balance.

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