With the Indian Premier League season proper across the nook, speculations have been rife about who will lead the defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders after they let go of their title-winning skipper Shreyas Iyer. One identify that has been introduced up regularly is allrounder Venkatesh Iyer, who was not retained by the franchise forward of the IPL 2025 auctions, however was purchased again by them for a whopping Rs 23.75 crore.
Venkatesh when requested about if he would wish to lead the franchise gave his reply in affirmative in an interplay with ESPNcricinfo. “Positively, I’m prepared. Once more, I’ve at all times stated this: captaincy is only a tag. I imagine in management. That may be a greater position to play, being a pacesetter, There’s no ambiguity surrounding this. I’ll undoubtedly do it, if it comes my means. There isn’t a cause to not do it,” Iyer stated.
“You don’t essentially want the tag of a captain to be a pacesetter in your dressing room. It’s essential set examples. It’s essential be a very good position mannequin, each on and off the sector, which I’m doing proper now in Madhya Pradesh. I’m not the captain of the MP staff, however my opinions are revered and I actually like to be in an environment the place each particular person — new or skilled, Rs 20 lakh, Rs 20 crore, no matter — you simply have to have the liberty to voice your opinion. You simply have to have the liberty to present opinions and provides recommendations and them to be taken in the best spirit,” he added.
Iyer had joined the Kolkata franchise in 2021 and has scored 1,326 runs in 51 IPL matches for them. He was additionally an integral a part of the squad which gained KKR their third IPL title in 2024.
The defending champions will face the Royal Challengers Bengaluru within the opening match of the IPL 2025, scheduled to happen in Kolkata’s Eden Gardens on March 22.
