Virender Sehwag, Pat Cummins
Virender Sehwag (Image Credit: Twitter)

Former India opener Virender Sehwag was effusive in praise of Venkatesh Iyer, the Kolkata Knight Riders opener who has taken the UAE leg of IPL 2021 by storm and helped his side to the final.

In Qualifier 2 versus Delhi Capitals, the left-hander smashed 55 runs off 41 balls on a difficult batting pitch in Sharjah, as KKR won a last-over thriller.

Iyer has led KKR’s revival in the tournament – he made his IPL debut in the UAE leg and has scored 320 runs in 9 matches, including three fifties. Virender Sehwag termed Iyer as one of the “good finds” of the season.

Venkatesh Iyer
Venkatesh Iyer. (Photo: IPL)

“No doubt he is one of the good finds of this tournament. He is the one who has enabled the comeback of KKR in the league. He has given good starts to the team and thanks to him that KKR has reached the finals,” Virender Sehwag told Cricbuzz.

Iyer, who also bowls handy medium-pace, has been asked by the BCCI to stay back in the UAE after the completion of the IPL – in order to assist the national side during the T20 World Cup.

“Looking at his performances only the Indian team’s management and selectors have asked him to stay back in the UAE in the bubble. If it all someone gets injured or if Hardik Pandya has any concerns, then Iyer might get in the team,” Virender Sehwag added.

I feel KKR might think of retaining Iyer: Virender Sehwag

With the mega auction coming ahead of the next season, Iyer has surely raised his stock price by match-winning performances for KKR. Although the retention and right-t0-match card ruled haven’t been revealed by the BCCI, Virender Sehwag feels that Iyer, 26, may be retained by KKR.

Venkatesh Iyer
Venkatesh Iyer (Image: Twitter)

“He is a brilliant find and the way he is batting if KKR wants to retain a few players, he might be one of those contenders. I feel the team might think of retaining Iyer,” the former batsman believes.

The Knight Riders will now meet MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings in the IPL 2021 final, to be played on Friday in Dubai.

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