Kolkata Knight Riders have roped in mystery spinner Shivam Shukla from Madhya Pradesh as a replacement for West Indies allrounder Rovman Powell for the rest of the IPL 2025 season, the franchise confirmed on Sunday, May 18. Powell, along with England’s Moeen Ali, has been ruled out for medical reasons. “Rovman is undergoing a procedure,” the team stated as the league resumed following a brief suspension. Shukla, 29, has limited experience at the top level, with just one season in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy where he took eight wickets in eight matches, including a standout 4 for 29 against Bengal. His recent performances in the Madhya Pradesh Premier League turned heads—he finished as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with 10 dismissals, including a five-wicket haul. KKR’s hopes of defending their IPL crown were dashed after a rain-affected no-result in Bengaluru, marking their exit from playoff contention. They have just one fixture left in the season, scheduled against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Delhi on Sunday, May 25.