The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 mini-auction was held in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, December 16with 369 players available for franchises. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) were among the busiest teams at the auction, strengthening multiple areas of their squad ahead of the new season.

The three-time IPL champions signed 13 playersincluding high-profile overseas names such as Cameron Green, Matheesha Pathirana, Mustafizur Rahmanand Rachin Ravindrawhile also reinforcing their Indian core with experienced and emerging domestic players.

Ajinkya Rahane retained as KKR captain

Kolkata Knight Riders have retained Ajinkya Rahanewho is set to continue leading the side in IPL 2026. Rahane anchors a squad that blends experience, power-hitting depth, and varied bowling options.

What KKR did at the IPL 2026 auction

KKR entered the auction with clear gaps to fill across departments. The franchise focused on strengthening its pace attack, adding overseas firepower, and increasing batting flexibility.

The acquisition of Cameron Green adds a premium all-round option, while Matheesha Pathirana and Mustafizur Rahman boost the death-bowling resources. Find Allen and Tim Seifert provide wicketkeeping and explosive batting options, while Indian signings such as Rahul Tripathi, Akash Deepand Kartik Tyagi add experience and depth.

Players bought by Kolkata Knight Riders at IPL 2026 auction

Cameron Green, Finn Allen, Matheesha Pathirana, Tejasvi Singh, Kartik Tyagi, Prashant Solanki, Rahul Tripathi, Tim Seifert, Mustafizur Rahman, Sarthak Ranjan, Daksh Kamra, Rachin Ravindra, Akash Deep.

KKR auction summary

• Purse remaining: Rs. 0.75 crore
• Player slots remaining: 0
• Overseas slots remaining: 0

KKR retained players ahead of the auction

Ajinkya Rahane, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Anukul Roy, Harshit Rana, Manish Pandey, Ramandeep Singh, Rinku Singh, Rovman Powell, Sunil Narine, Umran Malik, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakaravarthy.

Kolkata Knight Riders full squad for IPL 2026

Ajinkya Rahane, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Anukul Roy, Harshit Rana, Manish Pandey, Ramandeep Singh, Rinku Singh, Rovman Powell, Sunil Narine, Umran Malik, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakaravarthy, Cameron Green, Finn Allen, Matheesha Pathirana, Tejasvi Singh, Kartik Tyagi, Prashant Solanki, Rahul Tripathi, Tim Seifert, Mustafizur Rahman, Sarthak Ranjan, Daksh Kamra, Rachin Ravindra. Akash Deep.

Squad outlook

Kolkata Knight Riders head into IPL 2026 with a well-balanced squad combining proven match-winners, versatile all-rounders, and depth in both pace and spin bowling. With Ajinkya Rahane at the helm and a strengthened overseas contingent, KKR will look to mount a strong title challenge in the upcoming season.