With the IPL 2026 Mini-Auction around the corner, fans are buzzing about who the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) might trade. It looks like KKR is planning a big revamp of the team. They’ve made some tough calls on who to keep, who to release and who to trade with other teams.
Here are the players KKR might trade for before the auction:
- KL Rahul: KKR seems to be eyeing KL Rahul and might even consider him as the captain. But getting him won’t be a cakewalk.
- Sanju Samson: Word is, KKR is exploring trade options for Sanju Samson. To match his 18 Cr price tag, they might offer Rinku Singh, Venkatesh Iyer, or Varun Chakaravarthy and some cash.
Read Also:- RCB IPL 2026 Trades: Full List of Player Transfers
- Venkatesh Iyer: After a disappointing 2025 season, Venkatesh Iyer is rumored to be on the radar of Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). However Iyer himself has said that there haven’t been any trade discussions with the team.
- Possible Swap Deals with RCB: There’s talk of player swaps with RCB. These could be Iyer for Livingstone, Ramandeep for Rasikh Dar, or Spencer Johnson for Nuwan Thushara.
Released Players for 2026
KKR has released many big names before the IPL 2026 auction:
Venkatesh Iyer, Quinton de Kock, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Anrich Nortje, Spencer Johnson, Moeen Ali, Shreyas Iyer, Nitish Rana, Andre Russell, Manish Pandey, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Dushmantha Chameera and Mitchell Starc.
Releasing these players will free up a lot of money which KKR plans to use to rebuild the team with fresh talent for the upcoming season.
The trade list and released players clearly show the strategy: KKR is looking for a reboot. By keeping some, releasing some and trading others they are signaling a big rebuild. The team seems to be focusing on a balanced team with strong leadership and new blood. The auction and trade window will be key to how KKR shapes up and becomes a contender again. Fans can expect some exciting moves and new hope for the next season.
