Kolkata Knight Riders Jerseys: Colours, Editions and Buying Guide

Kolkata Knight Riders did not start in purple. The franchise's first two seasons, 2008 and 2009, were played in black and gold, and the purple that fans now treat as the club's identity arrived for the 2010 season. Three titles later, in 2012, 2014 and 2024, the purple and gold shirt is one of the most recognisable in the league, and the retro black and gold came back in 2025 as a fan edition. This guide covers the kit chronology, the shirts the franchise sells, what we hold, including KKR player editions, and how to buy one in the UK.

Black and Gold, 2008 to 2009

KKR were founded in January 2008 by Shah Rukh Khan's Red Chillies and the Mehta Group, and the first kit, made by Reebok, was black and gold. Khan is quoted as saying the gold stood for the spirit of life and the black for the goddess Kali. The side missed the playoffs both years.

The Switch to Purple, 2010

For the 2010 season the club changed its jersey colour from black to purple, a change reported at the time as a fresh start after two poor seasons. The story that co-owner Juhi Chawla considered black unlucky comes from the documentary Living with KKR and has never been an official explanation, so treat it as reported anecdote. Purple and gold have been the colours in every season since.

Titles and Editions

• 2012. First title, beating Chennai Super Kings by five wickets at Chepauk on 27 May 2012, Manvinder Bisla making 89.
• 2014. Second title, beating Kings XI Punjab by three wickets in Bengaluru on 1 June 2014, Manish Pandey making 94. Kit maker changed from Reebok to US Polo Assn that year.
• 2021. Runners-up, losing to CSK by 27 runs in Dubai. Wrogn signed as official kit and merchandise partner in March 2021.
• 2024. Third title, beating Sunrisers Hyderabad by eight wickets in Chennai on 26 May 2024, Mitchell Starc the match award and Sunil Narine player of the series.
• 2025. Kit unveiled on 3 March 2025 with a third star above the crest and the champions' badge. On 20 March 2025 the club released a retro black and gold fan jersey, made by SIX5SIX, for retail only; the team did not wear it.
• 2026. "Lines of Legacy", launched 14 March 2026: purple and gold with line art of franchise moments forming the letters K, K and R, Vida on the front, RR Kabel on the chest, BKT on the back. Milton was named licensing and merchandising partner at the launch, alongside Six5Six and Valiente Caps. The club did not name its playing-kit manufacturer for 2026.

Where the Shirts Come From

KKR run their own store at shop.kkr.in, which lists a fan jersey at 999 rupees, a match jersey player version at 1,899 in half sleeve and 2,099 in full sleeve, a youth version and a training jersey. The player version is the on-field design with the full sponsor set; the fan jersey is a simplified polyester shirt. Both are official KKR merchandise.

What We Hold

KKR is the one IPL franchise where we usually hold player editions. The Rovman Powell and Harshit Rana player-edition long-sleeve jerseys are in stock at £54.99 in XL, and a kids' 2024 KKR official jersey is in stock at £46.99 in size 8. Long-sleeve player editions for Gurbaz, Chakaravarthy, Manish Pandey, Rinku Singh, Narine, Moeen Ali, Russell and Rahane are listed at the same price and currently sold out. All of them sit in the player shirts collection, the kids' shirt in kids shirts. The Trinbago Knight Riders CPL shirt, the same owners' Caribbean side in the same purple, appears when stock allows.

Buying a KKR Shirt in the UK

1. Decide fan or player. A fan jersey is the right buy for watching and nets. The long-sleeve player editions we hold carry a player's name and number and are the on-field cut.
2. Know your black and gold. The 2008 and 2009 kits were black and gold; the 2025 retro is a fan edition. A "2008 KKR jersey" at a retro price is almost certainly the 2025 fan shirt or a copy.
3. Check the stars. The crest has carried three stars since 2025. Two stars means 2014 to 2024; none means 2008 to 2013.
4. Size up on Indian-market shirts. Our returns policy is an exchange if the size is wrong.
5. Check the seller. KKR's own store is the reference for sponsor placement. Our guide to authentic cricket shirts covers the rest.

FAQs: Kolkata Knight Riders Jerseys

Why is the KKR jersey purple? The club switched from black and gold to purple and gold for the 2010 season after two seasons without reaching the playoffs. The story that black was considered unlucky is anecdote from a documentary, not an official reason.

What colour was the KKR jersey in 2008? Black and gold, made by Reebok. The 2025 retro fan jersey revived the look for retail.

How many stars are on the KKR jersey? Three since 2025, for the 2012, 2014 and 2024 titles.

Who makes KKR jerseys? Wrogn held the kit and merchandise partnership from 2021; for 2026 the club named Milton as licensing partner and Six5Six among its merchandise partners without naming the playing-kit maker.

Can I buy a KKR player edition in the UK? Yes. We hold long-sleeve player editions at £54.99 when sizes allow, currently Powell and Rana in XL.

Sources

The 2010 change from black to purple was reported at the time by Open. The 2024 final is recorded by ESPNcricinfo. The 2026 kit launch and partners are on the KKR site. Stock is ours on 14 October 2026.