The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are reportedly eyeing India’s star batter and wicketkeeper KL Rahul in a high-profile trade ahead of IPL 2026. While the interest from the franchise is real, the chances of this deal actually happening are slim. Here’s a breakdown of the top three reasons why KKR is unlikely to succeed in bringing KL Rahul to Eden Gardens:
1. KKR Has No Player Worth Offering in Return
According to a TOI report, the major hurdle in this trade is KKR’s inability to offer any player of equal value to Delhi Capitals in exchange for Rahul. Most of KKR’s big names are either out of form or don’t fill the strategic gap that KL Rahul does for Delhi.
“However, the deal is unlikely to work out as KKR don’t have anybody they can trade to the Delhi Capitals in return,” a source told TOI.
Delhi Capitals, who paid ₹14 crore for Rahul during the IPL 2025 mega auction, have little incentive to let him go especially with no marquee player available from KKR to swap.
2. KL Rahul May Not Want to Leave Delhi Capitals
KL Rahul has settled into a key role with Delhi Capitals, both as a top-order batter and a senior figure in the squad. After leading Lucknow Super Giants for three seasons, he joined DC and delivered a solid performance in IPL 2025 with 539 runs, including a century. In IPL 2026, he continued to contribute consistently, helping Delhi reach the playoffs.
Given Delhi’s stability, competitive squad, and strong coaching setup, Rahul has few reasons to push for a move—especially to a team like KKR, which is currently undergoing a leadership and rebuilding phase.
3. KKR Already Have Venkatesh Iyer at ₹23.75 Crore
The economics just don’t add up for KKR.
They spent a massive ₹23.75 crore on Venkatesh Iyer during the IPL 2025 mega auction an amount that still weighs heavily on their balance sheet. Unless they are ready to offload Iyer in a direct trade with Rahul, which seems highly unlikely given both players’ roles and market perception, adding another ₹14 crore star like KL Rahul would break their budget.
Even if Rahul and Iyer were swapped straight up, Delhi would be taking a gamble on a player who hasn’t consistently performed at Rahul’s level.
While KL Rahul’s name would undoubtedly boost KKR’s squad and solve their leadership crisis, the odds are stacked against them. No viable trade assets, no signal from Rahul to leave, and financial limitations make this deal nearly impossible at least for now.
