IPL 2025: Venkatesh Iyer’s spectacular fall – From KKR captaincy ambitions to Rs 23.75-crore failure

Venkatesh Iyer’s spectacular fall – From KKR captaincy ambitions to Rs 23.75-crore failure (AP Photo)

Axar Patel bowled full and faster through the air. The ball was angling away outside off, and the slog-sweep wasn't on. But Venkatesh Iyer attempted it. In fact, it was a wild swipe across the line, against a bowler who doesn't turn the ball. Vipraj Nigam took the skier at cover. It was an atrocious shot.

It was the 10th over of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) innings after the visitors were sent in by Delhi Capitals (DC). A blazing 48-run opening partnership between Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Sunil Narine had given the other batsmen the chance to mix discretion with aggression. KKR had raced to 113, when Iyer tried to manufacture the shot. He was left to rue his mistake.

A five-ball seven took his tournament tally to 142 runs from seven innings at a strike-rate of 139.21. He hasn't bowled a single over in this IPL yet. Later, as KKR bowled, the team's vice-captain was subbed out, with Vaibhav Arora replacing him as an Impact Sub. At Rs 23.75 crore, is Iyer the biggest flop of this IPL?

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One of the reasons why KKR couldn't retain the likes of Phil Salt and/or Mitchell Starc was that they had decided to break the bank for Iyer at the mega auction. The franchise went to the extent of making him the team's costliest buy this year. Until the management decided to pick Ajinkya Rahane - bought in the second round of auction - as captain, Iyer was the firm favourite to lead the side. With the advantage of hindsight, KKR bungled big-time.

Iyer himself had probably harboured hopes of leading KKR this year. After being roped in by the franchise for a staggering amount, he had said: “I have always believed that captaincy is just a tag, but leadership is about creating an environment where everyone feels they can play for this team and contribute.”

He added: “If given the responsibility, I would be more than happy to take it on. Absolutely (I'm ready for it). Together, we will aim to defend the championship and continue our winning campaign. Thank you very much for picking me in your squad.”

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All said and done, there was always the apprehension that the price tag might weigh heavy on the 30-year-old all-rounder. Iyer had fired back at a press conference, saying: “But being the highest-paid player (in KKR) does not mean I have to make runs in every game. It's about how I’m winning for the team and what impact I'm able to make. The pressure is not about how much money I'm getting or how many runs I have to make. That's never been the pressure on me.”

Iyer, so far, has proved to be a Rs 23.75-crore failure.