KKR IPL 2025: Indian Premier League back in the headlines before mega auction for the player retention lists, published by all 10 franchises on October 31. All eyes on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), the champions of the IPL 2024, as they released two of their most reliable players—Shreyas Iyer and Mitchell Starc. Iyer helped KKR with his captaincy and batting to win their third IPL title, and Starc, breaking all records, became the most expensive player in the history of the Indian Premier League. Rinku Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Harshit Rana and Venkatesh Iyer have retained by the Purple Brigade. KKR management will build their new squad for IPL 2025 around these six players. Iyer, Cummins, or even Phil Salt’s exclusion from the team might have hurt some of the KKR fans.
Another news for KKR fans after player retention list announcement
But there is another news which definitely KKR fans are not going to accept with open arms. The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) has plans to renovate the iconic Eden Gardens, the home ground of Kolkata Knight Riders. CAB wants more modern facilities for the ICC T20I World Cup 2026. It is reported that the West Bengal cricket governing board wants to increase more crowd capacity in the gallery and two dressing rooms with modern facilities.
Renovation in the Eden Gardens, Kolkata
Eden Gardens can go through renovation at the end of 2025. In that scenario, KKR may need to shift their matches somewhere else. As per the report, Tripura is now the frontrunner to be the ‘second home ground’ of KKR.
🚨📰| Kolkata Knight Riders could play at least two matches in Agartala (Tripura) next season.
(PTI) pic.twitter.com/nntyg7ayvO
— KnightRidersXtra (@KRxtra) November 1, 2024
From where KKR will play?
Though it is yet to be clear whether KKR will play from Kolkata or for Tripura. Another possibility is that KKR can opt to play some matches in their home ground and some matches in’second home ground’.