IPL Auction: Venkatesh Iyer demands KKR captaincy after Record-Breaking bid

All-rounder Venkatesh Iyer hinted at taking up the captaincy role for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the upcoming IPL 2025 season.

Venkatesh's statement came hours after he was reacquired by the Kolkata Knight Riders for a whopping price of Rs 23.75 crore in the auction.

The bidding for Venkatesh at the IPL 2025 auction surprised fans, former cricketers, and experts. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) expressed interest in acquiring Iyer.

However, the Knight Riders eventually secured the southpaw with a massive bid of Rs 23.75 crore.

Had The Opportunity TO Captain The Side - Venkatesh Iyer

Venkatesh became the fourth-most expensive player in the IPL 2025 auction. As KKR looks for a new captain, Iyer is ready to take on the role. He served as vice-captain to Nitish Rana in 2023. It is worth mentioning that KKR decided not to retain IPL 2024-winning captain Shreyas Iyer.

The 29-year-old said that he would be happy to lead the Kolkata Knight Riders if given the opportunity. Venkatesh added that they will aim to defend the championship and continue the winning momentum in the upcoming season.

"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," said Venkatesh after he was bought by KKR for the huge amount.

"I’ve always believed that captaincy is just a tag, but leadership is about creating an environment where everyone feels they can play for this team and contribute. If given the responsibility, I would be more than happy to take it on. Absolutely (I'm ready for it).

I Felt Nervous About Coming Back To KKR - Venkatesh Iyer

Venkatesh Iyer expressed his gratitude to Kolkata Knight Riders for trusting him and showing confidence in him. He also shared that KKR coach Chandrakant Pandit, who had previously coached him in Madhya Pradesh, was part of the discussion, which further strengthened his bond with the team.

“Thank you, KKR, for trusting me and showing so much belief in me. I'm extremely delighted to be part of Kolkata Knight Riders again. To be honest, I'm at a loss for words, but I'm elated to be part of the KKR team once again," said the 29-year-old.

"The KKR coach (Chandrakant Pandit) was also my coach in Madhya Pradesh. We were discussing how I felt nervous about coming back to KKR."

Venkatesh Iyer has been with Kolkata Knight Riders since the 2021 season. He scored 370 runs in his debut season. Over four seasons, Iyer has scored 1,326 runs at a strike rate of 137.12, including one century and 11 half-centuries.

Players bought by Kolkata Knight Riders at IPL Auction 2025

Venkatesh Iyer (Rs 23.75 crore), Quinton De Kock (Rs 3.6 crore), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Rs 2 crore), Anrich Nortje (Rs 6.5 crore), Angkrish Raghuvanshi (Rs 3 crore), Vaibhav Arora (Rs 1.8 crore) and Mayank Markande (Rs 30 lakhs).

Also read: KKR on regret mode after Venkatesh Iyer hefty buy? Franchise issues official statement