Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra believes Kolkata Knight Riders spent a few more crores than they should have on Venkatesh Iyer in the IPL 2025 mega auction. The defending champions retained Iyer for INR 23.75 crore, making him the fourth most expensive player in IPL history.
Chopra feels the franchise could have gone for players like Phil Salt, KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan for a lesser price ahead of the left-handed batter. Salt was roped in by RCB for INR 11.5 crore whereas Delhi Capitals bagged KL Rahul for INR 14 crore. Ishan Kishan was roped in by the previous season’s runners-up Sunrisers Hyderabad for INR 11.25 crore.
The trio of Salt, Rahul, and Kishan could have also opened the innings with Sunil Narine. Salt also scored 435 runs in 12 matches of IPL 2024 at an average of 39.55 and a strike rate of 182 and thus played an instrumental role in taking KKR to glory.
“They couldn’t retain the Iyers (Shreyas and Venkatesh) and they probably knew that they would get only one of them when they went into the auction. They didn’t go for their captain but for Venky. When you spend ₹23.75 crore for one player, you think he will either become this team’s captain or will be a double-skilled player at least but he is neither of them,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
“Loyalty is expensive, it is absolutely right. When you spend so much money on a player, your balance is compromised somewhere or the other. Then you start thinking whether you could have picked Salt instead of him. You would have got Salt for ₹12 crore and were getting KL Rahul for ₹14 crore, or else Ishan Kishan. He also could have opened,” Chopra added.
Chopra raised the question regarding KKR’s captaincy after they let go of Shreyas Iyer. The renowned commentator said Gautam Gambhir will not be part of KKR’s coaching camp.
“Who will be the captain? Captain is a very important asset and you won’t even have Gautam (Gambhir) in the dugout this time. Can Rinku Singh become the captain because he was among the retained players? Sunil Narine has done some captaincy but can he be the captain in the IPL?” he said.
Chopra noted that Moeen Ali, Ajinkya Rahane, Manish Pandey, and Ventakesh Iyer could be potential leaders for KKR.
“Venkatesh Iyer was given the most money, so does that make him the captaincy choice? This team also has Ajinkya Rahane and Manish Pandey. Will you start looking towards one of them because they have captained at the domestic level and for India in the case of Rahane? Apart from them, Moeen Ali – I am seeing who all have captained a little at the international level,” Chopra observed.
The IPL 2025 season will commence on March 14 and the final will take place on May 25.
