KKR name Ajinkya Rahane as captain, Venkatesh Iyer as his deputy for IPL 2025

Making the announcement, Venky Mysore, CEO of KKR said, "We are delighted to have someone like Ajinkya Rahane, who brings his experience and maturity as a leader.

"Venkatesh Iyer has also been a franchise player for KKR and brings a lot of leadership qualities. We are confident that they will combine well as we start the defense of our title."

Accepting the leadership role, Rahane said, "It’s an honour to be asked to lead KKR, which has been one of the most successful franchises in the IPL. I think we have an excellent and balanced squad.

"I look forward to working with everyone and taking up the challenge of defending our title."

KKR will begin their IPL 2025 campaign with the season opener against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Eden Gardens on Saturday, March 22.