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Venkatesh Iyer, who was released earlier before being brought back for a staggering Rs 23.75 crore, is the third-most expensive player this season.
Venkatesh Iyer is Kolkata Knight Riders’ vice-captain (Picture credit: PTI)
Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders’ vice-captain Venkatesh Iyer has said that he has always carried myself as a leader and hence is prepared to step into the new shoes of Ajinkya Rahane’s deputy when the latest season of IPL begins on Saturday, March 22.
With former skipper Shreyas Iyer moving to the Punjab Kings, Rahane takes charge of the team and as per Venkatesh, his impact is already evident.
Kolkata won the title in IPL 2024 under Shreyas’ leadership but released him ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction.
“So far, he has been an amazing leader of the group. He has taken the initiative to have conversations with all of us and try to gel with the team. We are talking about someone who has led India across formats and captained IPL teams before,” Iyer was quoted as saying by The Times of India.
Having been a crucial part of Kolkata for some seasons, Iyer now steps into the vice-captaincy role.
“There is no specific preparation for it. I have always carried myself as a leader, so it is not entirely new to me. I have put in the hard yards in both batting and bowling. More than anything, it is about mindset, if you have accepted the role and are willing to take on the responsibility, half the job is already done,” Iyer said.
Despite stepping into a captaincy position, the star India allrounder revealed that he hasn’t had direct discussions with Shreyas or mentor Gautam Gambhir regarding his new role.
“I haven’t spoken to them directly about it. Last season, when I was with the team, they were around, but I have always believed that I can contribute as a leader beyond just batting and bowling,” Iyer said.
With IPL 2025 fast approaching, the star India allrounder is ready to embrace his vice-captaincy duties and contribute to Kolkata’s campaign.
Meanwhile, Dwayne Bravo, one of T20s’ most decorated players, on Wednesday promised to instil his “champion mentality” in Kolkata as their new mentor for IPL 2025.
Replacing Gambhir, who guided the team to their third title in 2024, Bravo is determined to build on Kolkata’s recent success and ensure they remain a force to be reckoned with.