Hours after being signed by KKR for an astounding INR 23.75 crore at the big auction, Venkatesh Iyer made his claim.
In a startling comment made on Sunday, India all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer said that he would captain the Kolkata Knight Riders in the next 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Hours after being signed by KKR for an unexpected INR 23.75 crore at the major auction held at the Abadi Al Johar Arena in Jeddah, Venkatesh made his claim.The Shah Rukh Khan-owned team, which chose not to keep IPL-winning captain Shreyas Iyer at the major auction here, made a somewhat startling decision that drew a lot of criticism from fans and experts.
In a heated struggle against the Lucknow Super Giants and Punjab Kings, who ultimately acquired the India star for INR 26.75 crore, KKR did attempt to re-sign Shreyas during the auction on Sunday but swiftly withdrew from the race after their final bid of INR 9.75 crore.
Recalling that he served as Nitish Rana's deputy during the 2023 IPL season, Venkatesh stated that he is prepared to assume the captaincy job in the upcoming season, even if KKR is still searching for a captain.
After being acquired by KKR for a hefty sum, Venkatesh claimed, "I had the opportunity to captain the side in Nitish Rana's absence when he was unfortunately injured, and I was the vice-captain as well."
KKR attempted to re-sign Shreyas during the Sunday auction, but they swiftly withdrew from the race after putting in a last bid of INR 9.75 crore. The India star was eventually acquired by the Punjab Kings for INR 26.75 crore after a hard struggle with the Lucknow Super Giants.
Since KKR is still searching for a captain, Venkatesh stated that he is prepared to assume the position in the upcoming season. He also recalled that in the 2023 IPL season, he served as Nitish Rana's deputy.
"I had the chance to lead the team when Nitish Rana was sadly injured, and I was also the vice-captain," Venkatesh remarked after being acquired by KKR for a hefty sum.
"I've always thought that leadership is about fostering an atmosphere where everyone feels like they can play for this team and contribute, while captaincy is just a tag. I would gladly accept the responsibility if it were offered to me. Yes, I'm prepared for it.
"We'll work together to maintain our winning campaign and defend the title. I sincerely appreciate you including me in your team," he continued.
"Happy to play for KKR."
After Shreyas (Punjab Kings, INR 26.75 crore) and Rishabh Pant (Lucknow Super Giants, INR 27 crore), Venkatesh—who represented India in nine Twenty20 Internationals and two One-Day Internationals—became the third most costly purchase at the IPL mega auction and the fourth most expensive in IPL history.
"I appreciate your faith in me and your confidence in me, KKR. Being a member of the Kolkata Knight Riders once more makes me very happy. I'm speechless to be honest, but I'm thrilled to be back with the KKR team," the 29-year-old stated.
"Chandrakant Pandit, the coach of KKR, was also my coach in Madhya Pradesh. We talked about how anxious I was to return to KKR. Once more, though, it conveys the team's emphasis on player development and championship success as well as how much they cherish their players. I'm delighted they have so much faith in me and excited to play for KKR once more.
In all, KKR spent INR 49.25 crore on eight players on Sunday. In addition to Venkatesh, they also purchased Mayank Markande (INR 30 lakh), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (INR 2 crore), Vaibhav Arora (INR 1.80 crore), Anrich Nortje (INR 6.50 crore), Quinton de Kock (INR 3.60 crore), and Angrish Raghuvanshi (INR 3 crore).
Recalling that he served as Nitish Rana's deputy during the 2023 IPL season, Venkatesh stated that he is prepared to assume the captaincy job in the upcoming season, even if KKR is still searching for a captain.
After being acquired by KKR for a hefty sum, Venkatesh claimed, "I had the opportunity to captain the side in Nitish Rana's absence when he was unfortunately injured, and I was the vice-captain as well."
KKR attempted to re-sign Shreyas during the Sunday auction, but they swiftly withdrew from the race after putting in a last bid of INR 9.75 crore. The India star was eventually acquired by the Punjab Kings for INR 26.75 crore after a hard struggle with the Lucknow Super Giants.
Since KKR is still searching for a captain, Venkatesh stated that he is prepared to assume the position in the upcoming season. He also recalled that in the 2023 IPL season, he served as Nitish Rana's deputy.
"I had the chance to lead the team when Nitish Rana was sadly injured, and I was also the vice-captain," Venkatesh remarked after being acquired by KKR for a hefty sum.
"I've always thought that leadership is about fostering an atmosphere where everyone feels like they can play for this team and contribute, while captaincy is just a tag. I would gladly accept the responsibility if it were offered to me. Yes, I'm prepared for it.
"We'll work together to maintain our winning campaign and defend the title. I sincerely appreciate you including me in your team," he continued.
"Happy to play for KKR."
After Shreyas (Punjab Kings, INR 26.75 crore) and Rishabh Pant (Lucknow Super Giants, INR 27 crore), Venkatesh—who represented India in nine Twenty20 Internationals and two One-Day Internationals—became the third most costly purchase at the IPL mega auction and the fourth most expensive in IPL history.
"I appreciate your faith in me and your confidence in me, KKR. Being a member of the Kolkata Knight Riders once more makes me very happy. I'm speechless to be honest, but I'm thrilled to be back with the KKR team," the 29-year-old stated.
"Chandrakant Pandit, the coach of KKR, was also my coach in Madhya Pradesh. We talked about how anxious I was to return to KKR. Once more, though, it conveys the team's emphasis on player development and championship success as well as how much they cherish their players. I'm delighted they have so much faith in me and excited to play for KKR once more.
In all, KKR spent INR 49.25 crore on eight players on Sunday. In addition to Venkatesh, they also purchased Mayank Markande (INR 30 lakh), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (INR 2 crore), Vaibhav Arora (INR 1.80 crore), Anrich Nortje (INR 6.50 crore), Quinton de Kock (INR 3.60 crore), and Angrish Raghuvanshi (INR 3 crore).
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