KKR CEO Reveals Reasons Behind Shreyas Iyer’s Non-Retention
Following Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) dominant IPL 2024 title win under Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy, the franchise’s decision to not retain him ahead of the mega auction raised eyebrows. KKR CEO Venky Mysore has now shed light on the thought process behind this move.
Mysore emphasized that Iyer was KKR’s top retention priority, but the decision ultimately rested with the player. He hinted that Iyer’s desire to test his market value in the auction played a role in his non-retention.
“He was No. 1 on our list (for retention). He’s captain and we have to build everything around the leadership. We picked him for this specific reason in 2022,” Mysore said.
Mysore clarified that the retention process requires mutual agreement between the franchise and the player. In Iyer’s case, this agreement could not be reached.
“What is fundamental to a retention is that it’s a matter of mutually agreeing. It’s not a one-sided right that the franchise has, the player has to consider various factors and agree,” Mysore explained.
“Somewhere along the line, if that agreement doesn’t happen because of factors like money or someone wants to test their value, then the decision is influenced,” he added.
Mysore expressed his support for Iyer’s decision to explore his commercial value in the auction. He acknowledged that players have the right to prioritize their financial interests.
“In this case, it so happened that he felt it was best, and we’re always supportive of the players when it comes to going to the auction and testing their value,” Mysore said.
With several teams in need of captains, including Punjab Kings, Delhi Capitals, and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Iyer is expected to be a highly sought-after player in the IPL 2025 mega auction.
