I’m a players’ captain, says new Kolkata Knight Riders skipper Shreyas Iyer

Shreyas Iyer was one of the biggest marquee signings of the IPL 2022 mega auction. The former Delhi Capitals captain was one of the most sought-after players because of the values he brings to the table as both a batter as well as a potential captain. As a result, it wasn’t surprising to see Kolkata Knight Riders jumping in the pursuit of Iyer and they managed to acquire him for INR 12.25 crore.

The IPL 2021 runners-up had let go of England captain Eoin Morgan because of his extremely mediocre performances with the bat. Only a few days after the mega auction, Shreyas Iyer was formally appointed as the captain of Kolkata Knight Riders.

Speaking to the KKR website, Iyer revealed that he loves facing situations of pressure as that is where he thrives the most. He also said that he’s a much more mature and responsible captain now.

“I would be coming in with a much different mindset now. I’m now more mature and experienced in terms of my decision-making and captaincy skills. Really waiting eagerly to work with every individual in the team, and build that synergy which could really help the team perform at a different level. I’m just going to love the responsibility, and I thrive under pressure,” Iyer told KKR’s official website.

“You know, for me to be part of the KKR family is an enormous feeling. I want to really appreciate the work which has been done by all the great players in the past and I would like to follow in the same footsteps, that they have created for KKR. Personally, I feel that I’m a player’s captain and I want to create an atmosphere where all of us are thinking towards one goal, which is winning,” he added.

Shreyas Iyer led Delhi Capitals in IPL 2018, 2019 and 2020. Under Iyer’s leadership, Delhi made it to the playoffs for the first time in seven years in 2019. They went one step further and finished as runners-up in IPL 2020.

The 27-year-old has also been in sensational form with the bat lately. He powered India to a whitewash against Sri Lanka in the T20I series and finished as the highest scorer in the series with 204 runs from three matches without getting dismissed even once. What made fans especially happy was his amazing strike rate of 174.36.

This aggressive intent is what KKR head coach Brendon McCullum would personally love to see in his leader. “Brendon McCullum as a coach I feel is very aggressive. Even when you saw him playing for his country (New Zealand), he was someone who was very aggressive and he is kind of a risk-taker.”

“And I absolutely love that. Obviously, I’ve had few interactions with him after the auction. He’s got that calm demeanor and I’m really looking forward to working with him, and to have some very successful seasons for KKR over the years,” told Iyer.