Well, who saw this coming? Just months after leading Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to their dream IPL trophy, Shreyas Iyer is out—and not just out of the captaincy, but completely off the team’s retention list. It’s a twist that’s got fans scratching their heads. Regardless, he will now enter the IPL 2025 mega auction, just like the other three captains—Faf du Plessis, Rishabh Pant, and KL Rahul.
Inside Story by KKR CEO, did Iyer asked for more money?
KKR’s CEO Venky Mysore spilled the tea, and it was interesting. “Look, retention isn’t some simple checkbox,” he said to RevSportz, leaning into the complexity of the situation. Despite all the rumors flying around about massive pay demands, there’s a bit more to this story.
Mysore was crystal clear about one thing: Iyer was their “number one pick” – no doubt about it. The guy was practically handpicked in 2022 to be the team’s leader. Remember his injury in IPL 2024 where KKR rolled out the red carpet when he came back from a massive injury. Mysore revealed, “I mean he was number one on our list, so to say, because he’s captain and we have to build everything around the leadership. And we picked them specifically in 22 for that. Unfortunately, he was injured in 23. When he came back, the moment he came back, he got his captaincy back. We made it very clear that it’s yours when you come back. So he’s been a very integral part, done a terrific job. I enjoy a personal rapport with him.”
Money talk with Shreyas Iyer?
Here’s where it gets interesting. Mysore didn’t shy away from the elephant in the room – money. “Nobody really knows a player’s true value,” he candidly admitted. However, IPL auction is a great leveler. It’s a high-stakes marketplace where 10 franchises duke it out, and a player’s worth becomes crystal clear.
Shreyas Iyer was picked up at Rs 12.25 crore at the IPL 2022 mega auction. Since then, he has built a great team environment, ultimately guiding them to the crown earlier this year. It’s understood that Iyer was seeking an “exorbitant fee,” a demand that has seemingly irked the KKR management. While players are entitled to command premium fees based on their performances, the IPL is a data-driven league where valuations are determined by analysis of factors such as recent form, fitness records, and international status.
Iyer’s worth to be decided at IPL 2025 auction
Iyer’s recent performances, though decent, haven’t been exceptional. His injury troubles, including a back injury that sidelined him for the entirety of IPL 2023 season. While he made a comeback in the 2024 season, his performances were inconsistent. For KKR, Iyer has scored 752 runs at an average of 34.18 and at a strike rate of 140.04. The Indian batter’s international career has also taken a hit. He was dropped from the BCCI’s central contract after missing a crucial Ranji Trophy match last season. His absence from the national side further weakens his bargaining power in the IPL.
“I’m all for players wanting to determine what the correct, the right market value is. And nobody knows what it is. But only when they go into the auction, the auction is a fantastic marketplace where 10 franchises who all have their own priorities, they have a certain amount of purse, which is all equal, where you start off on equal terms and then you go in there. And then in that process, the player’s value gets determined.“
KKR Retained players for IPL 2025
Retention No. 1 (Rs 13 crore) – Rinku Singh
Retention No. 2 (Rs 12 crore) – Varun Chakravarthy
Retention No. 3 (Rs 12 crore) – Sunil Narine
Retention No. 4 (Rs 12 crore) – Andre Russell
Retention No. 5 (Rs 4 crore) (uncapped) – Harshit Rana
Retention No. 6 (Rs 4 crore) (uncapped) Ramandeep Singh
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