NEW DELHI: The cricketing world was left surprised when Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) opted to not retain their title-winning captain Shreyas Iyer and as an alternative re-signed all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer. On the IPL mega public sale in Jeddah on Sunday, KKR shelled out a staggering Rs 23.75 crore for Venkatesh, fueling hypothesis that the Madhya Pradesh all-rounder may tackle the captaincy mantle in Shreyas’ absence.
The Shah Rukh Khan-owned franchise battled fiercely in opposition to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to safe Venkatesh, who turned the third-highest buy of the public sale after Shreyas (Rs 26.75 crore, Punjab Kings) and Rishabh Pant (Rs 27 crore, Lucknow Tremendous Giants).
Regardless of the hefty price ticket elevating eyebrows, KKR justified their determination, emphasizing Venkatesh’s contributions and potential management qualities.
IPL mega public sale: KKR spend Rs 23.75 crore to purchase again Venkatesh Iyer
Right here’s a breakdown of why KKR went all-in for his or her all-rounder:
IMPACT WITH THE BAT
Venkatesh Iyer’s capability to speed up the run fee and his consistency in delivering below strain have made him a nightmare for bowlers. Since debuting for KKR in 2021, the Madhya Pradesh all-rounder has turn into an important cog of their setup.
With a T20 batting strike fee of over 135, Venkatesh introduced himself in fashion throughout the 2021 IPL, scoring 370 runs in simply 10 matches at a median of 41.11.
Though his 2022 season was underwhelming, he bounced again in 2023 and 2024 with constant performances, together with 404 runs in 2023 and 370 runs in 2024.
His IPL profession boasts one century and 11 fifties, showcasing his big-match temperament.
KKR mentor Dwayne Bravo additionally praised the transfer, saying: “Getting Venky was one of many major priorities for us, as you may see, we went all out for him. It’s good that we’ve got 90% of the gamers from the championship-winning group. That in itself is a constructive signal.”
LOOKING FOR CONTINUITY
Purchased by KKR for simply Rs 20 lakh in 2021, Venkatesh has been a cornerstone of their success.
His constant performances, together with a maiden half-century in opposition to Mumbai Indians and 4 fifties in his debut season, earned him a protracted rope with the franchise.
Venkatesh has additionally grown below the tutelage of Chandrakant Pandit, KKR’s head coach, who guided Madhya Pradesh to their maiden Ranji Trophy title in 2022.
This continuity in working relationships makes Venkatesh a beneficial asset for KKR’s future.
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CAPTAINCY MATERIAL
With Shreyas Iyer transferring to Punjab Kings, KKR may hand over the captaincy to Venkatesh.
Having spent 4 seasons with the franchise, he understands the group dynamics and has labored carefully with Pandit.
Below Pandit’s management, KKR ended their decade-long title drought in 2024, a marketing campaign by which Venkatesh performed a key position.
Given his management expertise and familiarity with the setup, Venkatesh appears poised to step into the captaincy position for IPL 2025.
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AUCTION DYNAMICS
The IPL 2025 mega public sale noticed Rs 639.15 crore spent on 182 gamers, with KKR getting into with Rs 50.95 crore.
Regardless of having no Proper to Match (RTM) playing cards, KKR was decided to retain Venkatesh.
Beginning at a base worth of Rs 2 crore, the bidding conflict shortly escalated as Lucknow Tremendous Giants (LSG) and RCB joined the fray.
After LSG exited at Rs 6 crore, KKR and RCB went head-to-head, driving the value previous Rs 23 crore earlier than KKR emerged victorious at Rs 23.75 crore.
