“There wasn’t any concrete effort….” Shreyas Iyer Opens Up On His Departure from KKR
By Aayush Pathak in 4 hours
India’s middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer has shed light on his departure from Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) ahead of IPL 2025. Despite leading KKR to their third IPL title in 2024, Iyer was not retained by the franchise.
KKR chose to retain Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy, and uncapped players Harshit Rana and Ramandeep Singh. However, Iyer revealed that a lack of communication with the team management led to his exit.
“I had a fantastic time winning the championship at KKR,” Iyer shared in an interaction with Indian Express. “The fan following was electrifying, and I loved every moment there. But after the championship, there was a layover. There wasn’t any concrete effort for retention talks. Because of a lack of communication, we mutually parted ways. That’s the long and short of it.”
Disappointment Over Lack of Communication
Iyer admitted feeling disappointed about how things unfolded. “Yes, obviously disappointed,” he said. “When you don’t have clear communication and you learn about things just a week before the retention date, it feels like something is lacking.”, he further added.
Despite the disappointment, Iyer expressed gratitude for his time at KKR. “The time I spent with Shah Rukh Sir, the family, and everyone at KKR was phenomenal. Winning the championship will always be an integral part of my life,” he mentioned.
A Record-Breaking Move to Punjab Kings
While his exit from KKR was unexpected, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Iyer was bought by Punjab Kings (PBKS) for Rs 26.75 crore in the IPL 2025 mega auction. This made him the second most expensive player in IPL history.
Only Rishabh Pant surpassed Iyer’s deal. He was signed by the Lucknow Super Giants for a whopping sum of Rs. 27 crores. Pant and Iyer both will captain their respective franchises in IPL 2025.
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