Picture Credit: BCCI/IPL
The defending champions of the IPL; Kolkata Knight Riders will look to defend their title in the upcoming season, which commences on March 22. The three-time champions will play under the captaincy of Indian batter Ajinkya Rahane, who will hope to lead them to a fourth title. KKR have assembled a formidable bowling line-up for the upcoming season and in this article, we will take a look at the top five bowlers from the 2025 KKR squad.
Anrich Nortje
The South African speedster was brought into the KKR squad for INR 6.5 Crore in the last mega-auction. Nortje, who has been known to consistently clock speeds close to 150 kmph will be a vital asset for the Knight Riders in both the powerplay and the death overs. However, his availability for the IPL 2025 season remains a doubt as the pacer is currently recovering from a stress fracture in his back and also missed out the Champions Trophy with the South Africa team.
Sunil Narine
Sunil Narine has been that ‘one-club-guy’ for KKR having only played with a single franchise since his debut in 2012. He was retained by the Kolkata-based franchise for INR 12 Crore in the latest auction. In recent seasons, the West Indies all-rounder has been given an increased share of batting responsibilities in the team with an opening spot to his name. However, his bowling record with the team is equally good with 180 wickets in the 177 games that he has played.
Harshit Rana
Another fast-bowling mainstay in the KKR team, Harshit Rana was retained for just INR 4 Crore in the last auction due to his uncapped status. Since then, the bowler has made his debut in all three formats with the Indian team and was also part of India’s Champions Trophy squad. The 2022 debutant took 19 wickets in 13 matches in his last season with KKR and will look to cement his place in the playing XI in this season as well.
Varun Chakravarthy
The Tamil Nadu leg-spinner has been KKR’s mystery spinner for the last few seasons, as he was retained for INR 12 Crore in the latest auction. The multiple spin variations up his sleeves and a knack for breaking partnerships in the middle-overs has made him an instrumental figure in KKR’s bowling attack. After having a good campaign with the Indian national team in the Champions Trophy, Chakravarthy will look to carry that form into the upcoming IPL season.
Vaibhav Arora
The right-arm medium-fast bowler was brought by the Knight Riders for INR 1.8 Crore in the latest IPL auction. Arora, who had a good last season with KKR, took 11 wickets in 10 matches for the Kolkata franchise, including the all-important wicket of the dangerous Travis Head in the 2024 IPL final. His ability to swing the ball both ways makes him a valuable asset to have for the KKR bowling lineup.
