Shreyas Iyer has been a successful captain for the Kolkata Knight Riders over the years. Last season, he helped the side break its 10-year trophy jinx by winning IPL 2024. However, KKR and the player failed to reach an understanding which saw Shreyas Iyer not being retained in IPL 2025 Retention Day.
As a result, Shreyas Iyer became the first defending captain in IPL history to be released by the club. Reports claim that Shreyas Iyer demanded around 30 crores which KKR didn’t agree upon. However, with the IPL 2025 Mega Auction fast approaching, KKR is in need of a new captain and Shreyas Iyer might just be the best fit for the club.
Proven Leadership Skills
Shreyas Iyer is a proven leader. And that was showcased when last season he guided KKR to go on and lift the title. Leading from the front, Shreyas Iyer has showcased valiant leadership capabilities over the past couple of seasons. He has the ability to remain calm under pressure situations which rubs off the team in a very positive way.
Since Iyer has been with the side for the past 3 years, he is familiar with the known dynamics of the team. He knows whom to rely on and under what scenarios. As a leader, Iyer has proven himself to thrive under pressure and bring out the best in his teammates which showcases why he should be bought by the team again.
Strong Performance Record
Albeit not having a BCCI Central Contract, Shreyas Iyer is one of the best batsmen that the India Cricket Team has. And as far as the Indian Premier League is concerned he has been consistently scoring runs. For KKR his only gap was in 2023 when he missed the entire season after a back injury.
As for his batting performances, in IPL 2024 he amassed 351 runs, with a healthy average of 39 and an impressive strike rate of 146.86. These stats go on to show Shreyas Iyer has performed well in building an innings as well as helping in playing the role of an anchor when the situation has arisen.
High Market Demand
After not being retained by KKR, the demand for Shreyas Iyer has been huge in the IPL 2025 Mega Auction. Teams who are yet to select a captain will be eager to spill their cash to rope in the ace batter. Iyer will go under the hammer for a base price of 2 crores but is expected to attract interest from many teams.
Since in the mega auction, there will be teams who are starting from scratch, these teams will be desperate to get their hands on a potential captain and star batter. Though the competition will be huge, KKR should not let go of the opportunity of losing out on their former skipper.
