The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) entered the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) with one of the thinnest squads in the tournament. Throughout the season, they barely tapped into their bench, even as they finished well short of the top four. This outcome highlights the work KKR must undertake ahead of the IPL 2026 auction, where deciding on player retentions will be crucial.
### Transfer Market and Retention Challenges
Reports suggest that KKR’s pursuit of marquee names like Sanju Samson did not materialize, which could mean the three-time champions will look to reinforce their squad outside the trade market. Interestingly, KKR made only two replacement signings during IPL 2025, and neither got to feature on the field. However, there might still be value in retaining at least one of these replacement players.
### KKR Squad for IPL 2025
– Rinku Singh
– Rovman Powell
– Angkrish Raghuvanshi
– Manish Pandey
– Luvnith Sisodia
– Ajinkya Rahane
– Quinton de Kock
– Rahmanullah Gurbaz
– Venkatesh Iyer
– Andre Russell
– Sunil Narine
– Ramandeep Singh
– Anukul Roy
– Moeen Ali
– Varun Chakaravarthy
– Mayank Markande
– Harshit Rana
– Vaibhav Arora
– Anrich Nortje
– Spencer Johnson
– Umran Malik
– Chetan Sakariya (replacement)
– Shivam Shukla (replacement)
### What Should KKR Do with Their Replacement Signings?
#### Verdict: Retain Chetan Sakariya, Ignore Shivam Shukla
KKR’s pace attack—particularly in the Indian department—was very thin during IPL 2025. After Umran Malik was ruled out, Harshit Rana and Vaibhav Arora were the only two pace bowlers to be used consistently. Chetan Sakariya, who was signed as Malik’s replacement, didn’t get many opportunities on the field.
Despite limited game time, Kolkata should consider retaining left-arm pacer Chetan Sakariya. His variations can be particularly useful at the Eden Gardens, and he has been a fairly consistent performer in the IPL. While he may not have a sky-high ceiling, finding better Indian pace bowling options in the upcoming mini auction could prove challenging.
On the other hand, Shivam Shukla was signed late as a replacement for Rovman Powell when KKR were virtually out of the playoff race. The signing seemed questionable and appeared to fit Kolkata’s trend of valuing mystery spinners. However, Shukla cannot be retained, which raises questions about why KKR brought him in so late during the season.
While signing Shukla indicates some level of confidence in his abilities, it’s hard to justify prioritizing a 29-year-old leg-spinner when the team already has established spin options like Sunil Narine, Varun Chakaravarthy, and Mayank Markande.
### Conclusion
As KKR prepares for the IPL 2026 auction, retaining Chetan Sakariya makes strategic sense to bolster an already thin pace attack. Meanwhile, letting go of Shivam Shukla aligns with the team’s existing spin resources and long-term planning. Strengthening the squad with more depth and flexibility will be key if Kolkata intends to return to their winning ways in the coming season.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/cricket/analyzing-whether-kkr-s-replacement-signings-ipl-2025-retained-ft-chetan-sakariya