Venkatesh Iyer, who won the IPL with the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024, was bought back by the franchise for a whopping sum of Rs 23.75 crore. Iyer didn’t have a season to remember in IPL 2025, but admitted that it was a huge learning curve for him.
Venkatesh Iyer, the man of all seasons for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), was first to admit that he didn’t have a great season in the 2025 edition of the IPL but opined that the price tag didn’t have pressure on him going into the season. Iyer, who scored a half-century in both the qualifier and the final of the previous season, had played a crucial role in the Knight Riders winning their third IPL title. The franchise decided to splurge Rs 23.75 crore on him at the mega auction after the other Iyer, Shreyas, decided to part ways.
Iyer returned with just 142 runs in 11 innings in IPL 2025, averaging 20 while striking at 139. Many people thought that the huge price tag did take a toll on the Madhya Pradesh all-rounder and had a telling effect on his performances. However, Iyer was bullish about it not being a factor and the people who questioned it don’t matter to him but he admitted that it was a season filled with learnings.
“People who had these questions are not even on my contact list. So why do I have to even think about what they are thinking? It’s my life, my game, my career. And it’s my team that has chosen to spend so much on me. So these things don’t phase me,” Iyer was quoted by Sportskeeda.
“See, for a boy who wanted to just play IPL cricket, even Rs 20 lakh would sometimes feel like a significant amount. And over the years, this is what I’ve learnt. Not just me, but all the cricketers have learnt this: there are a lot of eyes on you, but it’s important to know what to pay heed to. People who have had a direct impact on my life, I am answerable to only them,” the 30-year-old added.
After winning the title, it was a disappointing season for KKR, finishing in the eighth spot on the points table; however, the most painful moment was the team getting dismissed for 95 against the Punjab Kings, led by the former KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer at the New Chandigarh stadium.
“That was the most painful moment in this IPL. To lose while chasing 111, it didn’t sit well with me. We shouldn’t have lost that game. So yeah, it kind of hurt a bit. But when games come thick and fast, you’ve got to forget it and move on,” he added.
Chasing 112, KKR were on course to overhaul the target at 62/2 with the skipper Ajinkya Rahane set alongside Angkrish Raghuvanshi. However, what followed was a monumental collapse for the then-defending champions. KKR lost eight wickets for 33 runs as Yuzvendra Chahal ran through the Men in Purple’s batting line-up. Trade rumours are going on for Iyer being approached by the Sunrisers Hyderabad, but it remains to be seen if the southpaw will be traded or back in the auction pool, or in an unlikely scenario, be retained.