Had It Not Been For KKR, I Wouldn’t Have Been Anywhere – Venkatesh Iyer

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) opening batsman Venkatesh Iyer has said that he wouldn’t have been anywhere in his international career if he was not part of the Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Venkatesh Iyer played a big role in KKR’s astonishing turnaround in the second half of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021. He smashed 370 runs in 10 games he played in UAE for KKR.

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Eoin Morgan-led side were in the bottom half of the table before the tournament was suspended due to Covid-19 spread and in the second half, KKR made a big jump and reached the final of the cash-rich league, eventually losing to the Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

Speaking on a chat show Backstage with Boria, Iyer said that he had a decent run in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy which helped in him getting the limelight. He added that he went unsold twice at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 auction before eventually getting picked by Kolkata Knight Riders. He said:

“Huge thanks to KKR. Had it not been for KKR, I wouldn’t have been anywhere. I had a decent Mushtaq Ali last year – a few good scores and one particular innings where I finished the game for my side. With these knocks coming in, KKR scouted me and they picked me in the auction. It was down to the wire in the auction. I was unsold twice and then picked by KKR in the final round.”

The batting all-rounder also talked about not being included in the playing XI in the first of the Indian Premier League 2021 and said:

“Once I was in KKR, there was a point where I felt like I was somewhere, I am doing something correctly in my life. Then the first phase happened and I did not get my opportunity. But, thanks to KKR for believing in me and making me understand that even though I am not playing, I am there in the mix. They did not ignore me altogether or any player for that matter. They always kept pushing me that I’ll play, and when I play, I am going to do well.”

That spirit that KKR showed brought out the best in me – Venkatesh Iyer

Venkatesh Iyer further added that the Kolkata Knight Riders franchise brought the best out of him. He said:

“That spirit that KKR showed brought out the best in me. It would be very wrong if I say that it was me who did that. It was the team that made me do it, which is something I would like to cherish.”

Venkatesh Iyer also termed KKR’s journey in the second half of the Indian Premier League 2021 as a “ really special journey”. He said:

“We were not where we wanted to be at the end of the first leg in India. But then came UAE and what happened was a story that can be told even 20-30 years later. It was a really special journey.”

After his success in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Iyer got his maiden T20I call-up in the home series against New Zealand and he has also got his maiden One Day Internationals (ODI) call-up for the upcoming three-match series against South Africa.

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