Speaking exclusively on JioCinema, Venkatesh Iyer shared his initial reaction after being acquired by KKR for ₹23.75 crore: “I’m really happy. The MP team is here with me, and they’re all very happy for me. They’re enjoying the occasion, Avesh Khan also got sold to LSG. The most important thing is that I’m going back to KKR, so I’m more excited about that.”
Iyer on joining KKR: “The coach of KKR was with me here, he’s the coach of MP as well. So, we were discussing, and I was kind of on his nerve, asking him to take me back to KKR. I understand that winning championships is extremely important, but so is player development and backing the players, and when the team management does that, it kind of shows how much it values their players. So, I think, it’s a pleasure to be playing for KKR once again and I’m extremely happy that they’ve shown so much confidence in me.”
Iyer on his prospects of being the captain of KKR:“Last year, I was the captain in the absence of Nitish Rana when he was unfortunately injured. So, I was the vice-captain and I always believe, captaincy is a tag, but you can always be a leader in a group. I believe in taking all the boys together, creating an environment where everyone feels motivated to play for the team. Eoin Morgan was the captain in 2021, and I was new, but he would come up to me and tell me that we can do this, we can do that. So, I feel that is leadership, and if given the responsibility, I’d be more than happy to do it.”
Iyer on his efforts to enhance his bowling:“I have worked on my bowling. I’ve always wanted to contribute in multiple facets of the game, with the bat and ball, in the field, and in terms of suggestions that I can give to the coach or the captain. So, that keeps me going and that is what I feel makes me a utility player. Sometimes, it might happen with the bat or just with the ball, but either way if you’re always involved in the planning and strategies, then I feel you’re very important for the team.”
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