Will KKR retain Mitchell Starc for IPL 2025?

Kolkata Knight Riders enjoyed an outstanding run in IPL 2024, with one tournament’s strongest line-ups leading the franchise to their third Indian Premier League title. Let’s see Will KKR retain Mitchell Starc for IPL 2025.  

After ending the group stage as the first-placed side on the points table, team KKR went on to win the Qualifier 1 and then the final against Sunrisers Hyderabad to become only the third franchise in IPL history to win three titles, and all of that happened due to the presence of their match-winning players in their squads.  

With the IPL’s new rules in place, and the franchises only allowed to retain a maximum of six players (5 capped and 1 uncapped) for next season, it will be interesting to see which star players will be retained, and which will miss out.  

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Will KKR retain Mitchell Starc for IPL 2025?

Unlikely, there is no doubt on Starc’s ability, but he had a mixed IPL 2024 season, and the franchise can try again to get his services again at a lesser price if his name appears in the IPL 2025 auction. 

Mitchell Starc was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders during the auction before the IPL 2024 season for a record sum of INR 24.75 crore. There was a huge expectation from the Aussie, and he also bagged seventeen wickets in 14 matches, but his economy remained as high as 10.61. 

Starc, however, won the player of the match by bowling a spell of 3-0-14-2 during the finale night and played his part well on the big occasion to help KKR lift their third IPL title.

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While Starc is an important part of the team KKR, the retention rules can throw a rock in front of his retention. As the Knight Riders cannot let them go their star overseas players Phil Salt, and Sunil Narine and Andre Russell. While they will be most likely retain winning skipper Shreyas Iyer, Rinku Singh and one uncapped player.  

With too many match winners in the squad, KKR think tanks will face a challenge in selecting and finalizing their retention list (max. 6) before the deadline October 31, 2024.