Ben Stokes To Captain KKR? 3 Players Who Can Replace Ajinkya Rahane In IPL 2026 – Cricket.com

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) had a terrible Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season, where they finished eighth, only ahead of Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK). 
In the aftermath of that season, the 2024 IPL champions have already made a strong move, parting ways with Chandrakant Pandit and moving away from their bowling coach Bharat Arun. 
There’s a strong chance that Ajinkya Rahane could be the next target in this major shake-up, as the franchise looks to return to winning ways. Who are the top candidates who can replace Rahane as KKR’s new captain for IPL 2026?
Sanju Samson
For KKR, Sanju Samson could be the perfect option as a captain because he solves one of their biggest issues: an Indian wicketkeeper-batter. Last year, KKR struggled massively at the top of the order is an out-of-form Quinton de Kock.

Samson is an impressive captain, having led 67 times in the IPL, where he has won 50% of the matches. As a wicketkeeper, his numbers are impressive: 63 catches and 17 stumpings. Having already been part of KKR’s setup, Samson might have an out-of-the-blue homecoming. 
Ben Stokes
What’s that one attribute that you would associate with a KKR player? Flair? Style? 
Think of an international player who fits the bill perfectly, and there’s just one name on your mind – Ben Stokes. Stokes is the perfect captain who would suit KKR’s system, considering his incredible success for England in the longest format.

He’s no stranger to high pressure, either, as the all-rounder averages 25.56 with the bat, and has picked up 28 wickets at an excellent economy of 8.56. However, for that to become a reality, KKR will have to get BCCI’s approval, as the all-rounder didn’t register himself for the IPL 2025 mega auction. 
KL Rahul
KL Rahul to KKR is a trade rumour that's gone viral over the last few days.

There's merit to it as well, as KKR would gain a player who fits the bill perfectly. Like Sanju Samson, Rahul has played most of his IPL career at the top of the order and is India's wicketkeeper in the ODI format.
Despite batting in the middle-order last year, Rahul scored 539 runs, averaging a staggering 53.90 with a strike rate of 149.72. Even from an economic perspective, having Rahul as the face of the franchise could serve them for a long time. He's also no stranger to captaincy.
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