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Ajinkya Rahane will captain Kolkata Knight Riders in their first match of IPL 2025 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Eden Gardens on Saturday (March 22).
Veteran Indian batter Ajinkya Rahane is gearing up to lead the Kolkata Knight Riders in the upcoming season, and he’s on the brink of making history in the tournament opener. The reigning champions are set to face off against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Kolkata on March 22, where Rahane will achieve a remarkable milestone by becoming the first Indian cricketer to captain three different franchises in this tournament.
The Kolkata franchise secured his services for Rs 1.75 crore during last year’s mega auction. Rahane made his captaincy debut with the Rising Pune Supergiants back in IPL 2017, where he took charge during a group stage match against Delhi Capitals in their home ground in April 2017.
He then stepped up as the captain of the Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2018, leading the team for the following season until Steve Smith took over the reins.
In the history of this tournament, only three captains—Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, and Steve Smith—have led three different teams. Sangakkara captained Punjab Kings for 13 matches in IPL 2010, led Deccan Chargers in 25 matches, and took charge of Sunrisers Hyderabad for nine matches during IPL 2013.
Former Australian captain Steve Smith had a brief stint as captain for Pune Warriors India, leading the team in just one match during the IPL 2012 season. He then took the reins for the Rajasthan Royals, where he captained in 27 matches, and later led the Rising Pune Supergiants in 15 matches. On a similar note, Mahela Jayawardene stepped in as captain for Punjab Kings in one game during IPL 2010, then went on to lead Kochi Tuskers Kerala in 13 matches during IPL 2011, and finally captained Delhi Capitals in 16 games across IPL 2012 and 2013.
Shreyas Iyer, who guided Kolkata Knight Riders to their third IPL title last year, is set to join Ajinkya Rahane in this exclusive club on Tuesday. Iyer will take charge of Punjab Kings on March 25. He has previously captained Delhi Capitals in 41 matches over three seasons and KKR in 29 matches over two seasons.
Punjab Kings secured Iyer for a hefty price of Rs 26.75 crore during the last mega auction. He stands out as the only captain to have reached the final match with two different teams. In the upcoming season, he’s aiming to make history by becoming the first captain to lift the IPL trophy with two different franchises.
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