Venkatesh Iyer reveals crucial chat with KKR CEO ahead of ₹23.75 crore bid: ‘Do everything in your power to…’

While Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer had a neck-and-neck fight over who would become the costliest player in IPL history, one player whose price tag surprised everyone was Venkatesh Iyer. The Madhya Pradesh cricketer was sold for a whopping ₹23.75 crore as a bidding war ensued between the Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, which was ultimately won by the former. 

In a recent interaction with The Indian Express, Iyer revealed the discussion he had with KKR CEO Venky Mysore ahead of the IPL Auction. 

Venkatesh Iyer's chat with Venky Mysore: 

Talking about the discussion he had with Venky Mysore ahead of the IPL Auction, Iyer said, “I had a word with him (Mysore) before the announcement of retentions. He was very clear in telling me that ‘we won’t be able to retain you because of the retention rules’ and not because they didn’t want me in KKR.”

"So I told him, ‘Sir, if you have the option, and if you can, please do everything in your power to get me back to KKR’. It kind of worked, didn’t it? It goes to show how much he trusts and believes in me. I’d really like to thank him. Over the years, we have built a wonderful relationship. I actually felt really grateful," the all-rounder added. 

Venkatesh Iyer to captain KKR in 2025? 

After being picked by KKR at such a hefty price tag, Iyer is being seen as the frontrunner to lead the franchise in the next iteration of IPL. However, Iyer could have some competition for the top job from the likes of Ajinkya Rahane and Rinku Singh. Notably, KKR were led by Shreyas Iyer in the last season but they had to let go of the India star ahead of the auctions. 

Asked if he aspires to become the next captain of KKR, Iyer said, "You don’t really need the captaincy tag for that. So I always want to be a leader in the dressing room. And if captaincy comes my way, it will be an honour to lead such a reputed franchise. Let’s see what’s in store for me," he added.