IPL Auction 2025: "I've given everything..." - 'Teary-eyed' Venkatesh Iyer reacts to KKR exit

Kolkata Knight Riders had a huge decision to make when they finalized their list of retained players for IPL 2025. The defending champions finally decided to retain Rinku Singh, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana, and Ramandeep Singh.

While there were no big surprises in this list, there are still many players who were not retained but have played a key role for the franchise over the past few years. One of them is all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer.

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Venkatesh Iyer's numbers for KKR

Iyer has been with KKR right from his IPL debut in 2021. In his first year, he had a fantastic season with the bat and helped KKR reach the final. Coming into the team as an opener from the middle of the season, he scored 370 runs in 10 matches at an impressive average of 41.11 and a strike rate of 128.47.

The Madhya Pradesh allrounder did not have a great season in 2022 but came back in 2023 with more than 400 runs in the season. In IPL 2024, he raised his game to another level and went on to score 370 runs in 14 matches at an average of 46.25 and a strike rate of 158.80. He scored a brilliant 52 off 26 balls in the final to take his team to a title win.

Venkatesh Iyer left "teary-eyed" after being left out by KKR

While speaking to RevSportz after KKR finalized its retentions, Venkatesh Iyer spoke about the team's retention strategy. He feels that KKR has done a good job in retention but admitted that he would have loved to be on the list.

"KKR has had a very good retention. I think they have covered easily 14-16 overs and with the bat, they have almost covered five positions. So, they had a great retention but I would have loved to be on that list," Iyer said.

Venkatesh Iyer felt emotional after being excluded by the franchise but understands the way how it works at the auction.

"KKR have given me a big breakthrough and I have given everything for KKR and beyond cricket, there’s something called emotion. This is a family. There’s so much emotion. It kind of makes me teary-eyed that my name is not on the retention list but I am a practical guy. I understand how it works, "he added.

Venkatesh Iyer made his international debut in 2021 on the basis of his brilliant performances for KKR in that season. He had a breakthrough season with the bat and proved to be the X-factor for his team.

Venkatesh Iyer still hopeful of playing for KKR

The 29-year-old lauded Kolkata Knight Riders for their retentions but is still hopeful of playing for the franchise. He hopes that KKR signs him up again in the IPL 2025 auction.

"I was on the receiving end of on being one of the retentions in 2022 and I knew how it feels to be retained and to be left out as well. So, I think KKR have had a great retention, really happy for that," Iyer stated.

"I would love to be there and the doors are open. If I have a good auction then I might still end up playing for the team I love the most," he added.

Alongside Venkatesh Iyer, several key players like Nitish Rana, Mitchell Starc, and Phil Salt were not retained by KKR. The franchise does not have any Right to Match (RTM) cards left as they have used all their retentions.