Kolkata Knight Riders star all-rounder and newly appointed vice-captain Venkatesh Iyer on Thursday said he cannot ignore the scrutiny surrounding his Rs 23.75-crore price tag but is determined to fulfil his responsibilities rather than letting the weight of expectations affect him.
The left-handed batter, who also bowls occasional medium pace, earned a staggering Rs 23.75 crore deal -- more than 11 times his base price -- as KKR went all-out and used their RTM card following a fierce bidding war with Royal Challengers Bengaluru to bring him back.
"Obviously, you can't ignore it altogether. It exists. Wherever I go, I get asked about it," Iyer said at their pre-season media interaction at Eden Gardens.
"So, it is existent, right? But for me, it's about absorbing it and still trying to fulfill the responsibility that has been given to me." However, Iyer believes that once the IPL begins, the numbers won't matter anymore.
"But when the IPL will start, it really doesn't matter. You are a part of a playing XI. You are a part of a team that is going out there to win," he said.
"It really doesn't matter for what price you were picked or what is expected out of you. If you are taking the field for a side, you will be expected to do well. And to do well, I feel, it's not just the number of runs that you score or the number of wickets you pick. It's about how you carry yourself on to the field. And are you able to fulfil the responsibility that has been given to you? And see, again, pressure is always there, irrespective. If not the price tag, it will be something else," he said.
"It will be selection, it will be batting in multiple positions, bowling, fielding, everything. The pressure will still be there. But I think it's up to me how I absorb that pressure," added Iyer, who has been a mainstay in KKR's batting lineup since his debut.
Across 50 IPL matches, Iyer has amassed 1,326 runs, including a century and 11 half-centuries. In 2024 IPL, he played a crucial role in KKR's title-winning campaign, scoring 370 runs at an impressive average of 46.25 with a strike rate of 158-plus.
Iyer deserved the price: Rahane
KKR's newly-appointed skipper Ajinkya Rahane seemed visibly irritated by the repeated discussions around Iyer's price tag and said he "deserved that price".
"I want to tell you all that Venkatesh Iyer deserved that price. People are talking about all these things but he has done well for his franchise on a number of occasions. So I think he has deserved that price," Rahane said of his deputy.
Having gone unsold in the initial rounds of the IPL 2025 auction, the veteran India batter was eventually picked for his base price of Rs 1.5 crore.
The 36-year-old Rahane, who has played 185 IPL matches and over 200 international games across formats, has undergone a remarkable transformation in his batting.
He topped the run charts in this year's Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, amassing 469 runs at an impressive average of 58.62 and a strike rate of over 164, with five half-centuries as Mumbai won the title.
Goal to play as long as possible: Rahane
Determined to extend his playing career, Rahane remains focused on the present.
"My goal is to play as long as possible. But at this moment, I am just focusing on this particular tournament and I don't want to think too far ahead," said Rahane, who had earlier stated his hunger for international comeback was still there.
"I have said this many times that my goal is to be in the moment, try and give my best each and every day. And give more than 100 per cent. I never think about my past or the future. I am focusing on my fitness."
Asked whether he expected from his captaincy for KKR, Rahane said, "I was only hearing it from you guys when I was playing domestic cricket. It is an honour for me to lead this wonderful franchise. The history is rich, we all know, I mean there are many great players who represented this franchise."
"It will be a challenge for us to defend the title. But again, that's why we play cricket. In this particular format, I feel that you got to give your best on each and every day," he said.
"One single over can turn the game. So for us as a team, it is important that we should give our best. We don't want to think far too ahead." Rahane also outlined his expectations from his squad as captain.
"As a captain, I only expect from everyone is good intent, good attitude and team always comes first. So I am sure we have a very good squad. All the players are pretty much experienced."
Pandit optimistic
KKR head coach Chandrakant Pandit is optimistic about the squad's depth, especially with key players Varun Chakaravarthy and Harshit Rana returning from a triumphant Champions Trophy campaign in Dubai.
"Both of them did so well, and they have performed consistently for KKR as well. They were our key players. We also have (Sunil) Narine and others. The confidence they are going to carry from the international level to KKR is something we are looking forward to," said Pandit.
The reigning champions, KKR, will kickstart the IPL 2025 season against Royal Challengers Bengaluru here on March 22.
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