“He was our first choice on retention list”: KKR reveal why they were forced to release their captain Shreyas Iyer

Shreyas Iyer led Kolkata Knight Riders to the third IPL title, but the Indian player was not retained for IPL 2025. The franchise had invested heavily in him since he joined them in 2022, but the relationship lasted just three seasons.

Venky Mysore, CEO of KKR, spoke to Boria Majumdar about the factors that forced the team management to leave out Iyer. “Shreyas Iyer was the first name on our retention list, but the process doesn’t work one way, and it requires both parties to come to one decision. It is also about the player’s willingness to commit his future with the franchise.

“When we added him to our squad in 2022, the goal was to give him the captaincy. Even though he didn’t play for us in IPL 2023 because of an injury, we told him that he would get the captaincy back the moment he returned, and this is what we did. If a player is trying to test his market value, it is better to allow him to leave. I share a good bond with him, but it is also true that players should have the freedom to decide,” he said.

Venky refused to call Shreyas Iyer’s move a disappointment.

“We shouldn’t look it that day. We should accept that things didn’t work out between us. Despite all the hard work, at times, you don’t get the desired results. You need to accept it and move on,” he added.

Venky Mysore further mentioned that retaining Sunil Narine and Andre Russell was a no-brainer. “They have been playing for us for a long time and won many titles. It was a no-brainer to retain them, and we never thought of releasing Andre Russell.”

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