The Kolkata Knight Riders, the defending champions are now out of the playoff race after a tough season. Their last hope was washed away as rain stopped play in their match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. It was a must-win game, but not a single ball could be bowled ending their chances on a sad note. In the IPL 2025, the defending champions, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have had a rollercoaster season securing 5 wins, facing 7 losses and experiencing 2 matches that were either abandoned.
This year just didn’t go KKR’s way. They never clicked as a team and that inconsistency cost them games. With 2026 around the corner, some tough calls are coming. In this article, we’ll take a quick look at the KKR released players 2026 and what changes might come next.
Top 5 KKRReleased Players 2026
1. Venkatesh Iyer
Venkatesh Iyer faced a challenging season with KKR throughout the entire season. His previous years of strong performance ended with a significant decline in his form which prevented him from delivering his usual results. The team invested a substantial amount of money to acquire him yet he managed only 142 runs across seven matches while maintaining a poor average and remaining inactive as a bowler. The strike rate he produced fell short of expectations for a player, who typically bats in the middle order.
Because of this, Venkatesh Iyer is on the list of KKR released players 2026 as the team looks to free up money and bring in players who can contribute more consistently.
2. Moeen Ali
Moeen Ali took six wickets in six games but scored only five runs in two innings. He hardly got to bat, and with stars like Narine and Russell doing most of the work, his spot isn’t needed. He also uses up an overseas slot that could go to a specialist bowler or batter. That’s why Moeen Ali is on the KKR released players 2026 list – so the team can sign someone who will play every game and make a bigger impact.
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3. Quinton de Kock
Quinton de Kock started as KKR’s main wicket-keeper and played seven matches this season. He scored 143 runs with a good strike rate of 137, but most of those runs came from one great innings an unbeaten 97 against Rajasthan Royals. In the other six games, he didn’t score much. Because of this, KKR is likely to release Quinton de Kock before 2026. They already have Gurbaz as a keeper-batter, so letting de Kock go will give KKR a chance to sign a local Indian keeper and make the team stronger. De Kock is one of the KKR released players 2026 as the team plans ahead.
4. Spencer Johnson
Spencer Johnson had a tough time in IPL 2025. He played four matches and took just one wicket, giving away runs at a very high economy of 11.73. His bowling average of 133.00 was also way below what’s expected. KKR had high hopes after paying INR 2.80 crore for him, but things didn’t work out. With better fast bowlers already in the squad, and Johnson using up an overseas slot, KKR is likely to move on. That’s why Spencer Johnson is expected to be on the KKR released players 2026 list.
5. Ramandeep Singh
Ramandeep Singh got a few chances this season but didn’t make much of an impact. He played six matches and scored only 34 runs with an average of 8.50 and a strike rate of just 113.33, which is low by T20 standards. He couldn’t add strength to the middle order or finish games when needed. With better Indian options available in the auction, KKR may choose to let him go. Ramandeep is likely to be part of the KKR released players 2026 list as the team looks to improve its squad.
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ALSO READ: SRH Released Players 2026: Five Players Likely to Be Dropped (ft. Ishan Kishan)
