Venkatesh Iyer is ready to lead Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) if given an opportunity in the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). KKR is one of the only two teams that is yet to announce the captain for IPL 2025 with Delhi Captials being the other. For the unversed, KKR didn't retain their title-winning captain Shreyas Iyer who will now lead Punjab Kings this season.
Meanwhile, they splurged Rs 23.75 crore on all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer who is also reportedly the leading contender to be the leader of the pack at the KKR. At the same time, Ajinkya Rahane is another option for the franchise but nothing has been made official yet with less than one month to go for the first match. Notably, KKR will face RCB in the tournament opener on March 22 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
"Definitely. Definitely, I'm ready, Again, I've always said this: captaincy is just a tag. I believe in leadership. That is a bigger role to play, being a leader. You don't necessarily need the tag of a captain to be a leader in your dressing room. You need to set examples. You need to be a good role model, both on and off the field, which I am doing right now in MP.
"I'm not the captain of the MP team, but my opinions are respected and I really love to be in an atmosphere where every individual - again, new or experienced, 20 lakhs, 20 crore, whatever - you just need to have the freedom to voice your opinion. Or you just need to have the freedom to give opinions and give suggestions and them to be taken in the right spirit," Iyer said while speaking to ESPNCricinfo.
Iyer made his debut in IPL during the 2021 season and has scored 1326 runs in 51 matches so far for KKR at a strike rate of 137. He hasn't played for any other team in the IPL and will be keen on leading from the front if made the captain of the team.