"I Will Definitely Appoint Rinku Singh": Former India Opener Picks Kolkata Knight Riders' Next Captain

Former India opener Abhinav Mukund has backed Rinku Singh to become Kolkata Knight Riders' next captain ahead of IPL 2027. With Ajinkya Rahane retiring from all forms of cricket, KKR are searching for a new leader for the upcoming season. Mukund believes Rinku is the ideal candidate given his long-standing association with the franchise and leadership experience in domestic cricket. He also feels appointing an Indian captain could help create a positive team environment as the three-time champions look to bounce back after missing the playoffs in each of the last two seasons.

Speaking on Star Sports, Mukund said: "I will definitely appoint Rinku Singh as the captain. He has been with KKR for many years. It'll also be an Indian captain. He's also trying to make a comeback to the Indian team. So there is a good chance that he'll create a nice team environment."

Rinku has been a part of KKR since 2018 and was appointed vice-captain ahead of IPL 2026. He also possesses leadership experience in domestic cricket, having captained Uttar Pradesh in List A cricket and guided Meerut Mavericks to the UPT20 title in 2026.

Mukund also shared his views on KKR's retention plans ahead of the auction, suggesting the franchise could consider releasing Cameron Green, Matheesha Pathirana and Rachin Ravindra to create a larger purse.

Green was signed for Rs 25.20 crore, while Pathirana was acquired for Rs 18 crore but managed to bowl only eight deliveries last season due to injury. Rachin, meanwhile, did not feature in a single match.

"I will definitely release Cameron Green. I don't think he'll go for Rs 25 crore in this particular auction. So KKR can release him and think about buying him back at a lower price. I'll also release Rachin Ravindra, given Finn Allen and Tim Seifert's excellent form," Mukund said.

"Pathirana bowled only eight balls last season for Rs 18 crore. So I'll definitely release him and create a big purse of over Rs 40 crore. If Mustafizur is available, I'll retain him. KKR doesn't have many holes in their side. Last year, they suffered because of several injuries. Harshit Rana and Akash Deep were injured, and it's hard to find replacements for Indian pacers," he added.

KKR finished seventh in IPL 2026 with six wins from 14 matches, missing the playoffs for the second successive season.

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