Venkatesh Iyer Blocks Out Critics After Tough IPL
For a large part of IPL 2025, Venkatesh Iyer ₹23.75 crore price tag was a constant talking point. From the moment Kolkata Knight Riders secured him in the mega auction, doubts over the hefty bid followed. The amount became the third-highest in IPL history, trailing only Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer this year.
The discussions intensified as KKR, despite being defending champions, did not retain Shreyas Iyer and only bid up to ₹10 crore for him. Many speculated whether Venkatesh was bought as a potential captain. The outside noise eventually started affecting the left-hander, who rose to fame in IPL 2021.
Poor Start to IPL 2025 and Impact of Criticism
Venkatesh’s season got off to a poor start. He managed only 142 runs in 11 matches at a strike rate of 139, with a solitary match-winning 60. The Impact Player rule further reduced his bowling opportunities.
“People who had these questions are not even on my contact list. So why do I have to even think about what they are thinking?” Venkatesh told Sportskeeda.
Despite the poor returns, the Madhya Pradesh all-rounder said KKR management never lost faith in him. He revealed that KKR CEO Venky Mysore helped ease the pressure.
“It’s not about just the money, it’s about where I fit in their scheme of things. Venky sir once told me something, which I felt made a lot of sense. He said, “At the end of the day, you are given 120 units to build a team. Once the team is built, it doesn’t matter how many units you have spent on what. It is a team that has been made now, that’s it.”
Mindset, Learnings, and Future Outlook
For Venkatesh, the criticism did not change his mindset. “It’s my life, my game, my career. And it’s my team that has chosen to spend so much on me. So these things don’t phase me. See, for a boy who wanted to just play IPL cricket, even ₹20 lakh would sometimes feel like a significant amount. And over the years, this is what I’ve learnt. Not just me, but all the cricketers have learnt this: there are a lot of eyes on you, but it’s important to know what to pay heed to. People who have had a direct impact on my life, I am answerable to only them,” he said.
He admitted that certain factors hindered his performance, but he values the season for its lessons. “Yeah, I have taken the learnings, taken the positives, and whatever mistakes happened. But yeah, there were a lot of things that have come up that I feel hindered my performance. But all in all, good one or bad one, winning the trophy or not winning it, scoring 600-700 runs, that and all is different. It was a season full of learnings, and that is what is constant.”
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