Ravindra departs KKR IPL squad ahead of England Test series

Ravindra was bought by KKR in the IPL 2026 auction but did not play any matches and has now left the camp for England Tests.

Confirmed departure from KKR KKR officially announced on Friday that Ravindra would no longer be part of their IPL 2026 squad. The franchise had acquired him at the auction for the base price of INR 2 crore, which is roughly US$208,450. Despite being included in the roster, he featured in none of the team’s matches throughout the season. Ravindra was one of eight foreign players in KKR’s lineup, yet found himself outside the playing XI that relied heavily on Indian batters and featured Cameron Green in the middle order. ## Ravindra's recent Test performances Ravindra has been a consistent performer in New Zealand’s middle order in recent Test matches. He delivered an unbeaten 165 against Zimbabwe in August 2025, followed by a 176-run innings in Christchurch. Against West Indies in December 2025, he scored unbeaten 72 and 46 runs in Mount Maunganui. These performances have established his place in the Test XI as the team prepares for their first Test tour of the UK. ## England tour schedule and warm-up The upcoming series against England marks New Zealand’s second assignment in the current World Test Championship cycle. The Test matches are scheduled at Lord’s from June 4-8, The Oval from June 17-21, and Nottingham from June 25-29. Before traveling to England, New Zealand will play a four-day Test against Ireland in Belfast starting May 27. The team is set to face Ireland as part of their preparation ahead of the high-profile tour. ## World Test Championship standing New Zealand currently hold the second position on the 2025-27 World Test Championship points table. They have secured two victories and recorded one draw in their recent outings. Their last Test series in England took place in 2022, where they were whitewashed by the hosts with a 0-3 defeat. The upcoming tour presents an opportunity to improve their standing in the championship.