The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are looking up at a glowing change after the dismal season that they had in the 18th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The retentions and releases that have taken place before the IPL 2026 auction suggest that this is the way that KKR wants to go. Now that this has been done, all the attention will be on the KKR target players list for December 16.
It was clear that either KL Rahul or Sanju Samson would excellently fit the franchise for the next season. But the Karnataka keeper-batter was never a part of the release plans for the Delhi Capitals (DC). At the same time, the former Rajasthan Royals (RR) captain was very much in the talks for a trade with Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Whatever the reason may be, KKR was not able to get Sanju Samson onboard.
That is why the franchise is going to need a top-class wicketkeeper-batter now to occupy the slot that is very crucial for them to fill before the next IPL season. The franchise did keep Ajinkya Rahane but they let go two of their foreign wicketkeepers, Quinton de Kock and Rahmanullah Gurbaz, which leaves them at a critical point now.
Here are some of the wicketkeepers that the three-time IPL champions might target in the IPL 2026 auction given that they have the largest budget of all teams.
Wicket-Keepers KKR Can Target in the IPL 2026 Auction
Jonny Bairstow
The England wicketkeeper-batter would be one of the players in demand from some franchises due to his capability of being aggressive at the top of the order. Last season, Bairstow played only two matches for the Mumbai Indians (MI) and contributed 85 runs in the two playoffs, all of which were important.
For the 19th season of IPL, the Knight Riders might be counting on an opener as well as a premier wicketkeeper in their squad. The 36-year-old is capable of hitting boundaries during his initial strokes, which will help him bat on such places as Eden Gardens, where the ball is playable and runs are easy to come by. The franchise’s big wallet can make Jonny Bairstow a name on KKR’s list of players to target without any difficulty.
Ben Duckett
The Englishman not only is a great destructive batsman but also a competent wicketkeeper, and can bring a lot of value there. The left-handed batsman has not been part of the player pool of most of the franchise leagues in recent seasons, but if he is given the responsibility, he can surely make a big impact.
Duckett has great off-side power and prefers to play balls that are outside off-stump which means he is good at exploiting width. Therefore, the English opening batter could become a good option for the KKR team at the top of the batting order as well as help them to dominate the bowling attack of their rivals.
KL Shrijith
The wicketkeeper-batter from Karnataka was let go by the Mumbai Indians (MI) before the IPL 2026 auction. However, he has been a standout performer for his state in domestic cricket and is still considered to be among the top KKR target players for the IPL 2026 auction.
He has played 17 T20s for Karnataka scoring a total of 393 runs at a strike rate of 146.64 which includes a couple of fifties. Moreover, an average of 32.75 speaks highly of his ability to stay consistent with the bat. Shrijith is a crucial player at the wicket too.
Shai Hope
The West Indies analyzer is one of the batters whose technique is pretty much unassailable, and he makes the bigger part of his runs by playing authentic cricket shots. Shai Hope is quite a multitasker when it comes to the field and plus, he can also assist the captain in determining different things on the field thanks to his being a veteran.
So far, he has played 58 T20Is, scored 1,403 runs at a strike-rate of 137.68, with nine fifties and one hundred as his sole century. Besides, Shai Hope is capable of playing any type of shot and has the versatility of a technically most-favored West Indian batsman to play the game.
Tushar Raheja
Tushar Raheja would be another very talented player who is quite sure would be listed on the KKR target players list. The 24-year-old has been a star player in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) and has played for two different teams in the league.
Although he has not been that long in domestic cricket, still Raheja has exhibited a great deal of promise, and next IPL season he can be one of the wild card picks for the franchise. However, the incumbent team will still need to get a wicketkeeper-batter, and the sooner they realize this, the more they will be able to benefit from an investment in Tushar Raheja.
