ahead Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025Like the other nine franchises, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) they also announced their retention strategy, keeping several key players in their fold.
KKR reveals key retention facts for IPL 2025 season
KKR has made strategic decisions regarding its player list for the upcoming IPL 2025 season, retaining several key players: Rinku Singh (13 million rubles), Sunil Narine (12 million rubles), Andre Russell (12 million rubles), Varun Chakraborty (12 million rubles), Harshit Rana (4 million rubles) and Ramandeep Singh (4 million rubles). But a surprising indifference Shreyas Iyer – instrumental in leading the franchise to its third IPL title – has sparked considerable debate and raised eyebrows among fans and analysts alike. The decision invites inquiry into the franchise’s future direction and approach to team building, especially after Iyer’s impressive leadership and contributions on the field.
The surprising absence of Shreyas Iyer
KKR CEO Venky Mysore He stated that Iyer is one of his best keeps for the IPL 2025 season. Despite his pivotal role in leading KKR to the title last year, Iyer’s name did not appear in the save list. Speaking to Rev Sportz, Venky stressed that retention decisions are complex and involve many factors, stressing that it requires a mutual agreement between the franchise and the player. He pointed out that storage is not just up to the franchisee; players must also consider various aspects before agreeing.
“The interesting thing about storage is that it has many sides and forces. But what most people sometimes don’t understand about retention is that it’s a matter of mutual agreement. It is not a unilateral right held by a franchisee. A football player should also consider and agree on various factors.” Venky said.
Also READ: IPL 2025 Retention: Complete list of retained players along with their prices
Factors influencing retention decisions: Venky Mysore’s perspective
Mysore discussed how various factors can affect retention agreements, noting that disagreements can arise due to financial considerations or a desire to explore a player’s market value. Iyer’s contributions to KKR cannot be underestimated. After joining the franchise, he made a significant impact in 29 matches, scoring 752 runs at an average of 34.18 and a strike rate of 140.03, including five fifties.
“Sometimes the agreement does not happen due to various factors; money or someone wants to check their value or whatever. It ultimately affects the decision, but he was number 1 on our list.” Venky added.
Venky highlighted the importance of leadership, stressing that despite injuries, the captain remains a key figure for the franchise, but ultimately, individuals have to make decisions according to their own goals and aspirations.
“He is the captain and we have to build around that leadership and we have chosen him specifically for that in 2022. Unfortunately, it was damaged in 2023. He regained his captaincy upon his return. He was an integral part, he did a great job and I enjoyed my personal relationship with him. But at the end of the day, people have to make their own decisions and decide what’s best for them and the direction they want to go.” Venky concluded.
