Shreyas Iyer to lead KKR

Shreyas Iyer has been named the new captain of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the 15th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The franchise confirmed the matter.

"We are delighted firstly to have been able to successfully bid for Shreyas in the IPL auction & to have the opportunity for him to lead KKR," Venky Mysore, CEO & MD of KKR, said. 

"He has impressed one & all as a quality batsman at the highest level & we are confident that he will excel as a leader of KKR."

KKR had to pay INR 12.25 Crore to buy Iyer at the 2022 mega auction after an intense bidding war. Delhi Capitals made their final bid of INR 9.5 Crore to re-sign their skipper. Gujarat Titans tried to recruit him as well, but KKR managed to include him in their team. 

"I am extremely honoured to have gotten the opportunity to lead a prestigious team like KKR," Iyer said. "The IPL as a tournament brings the best players from different countries and cultures together and I look forward to leading this great group of very talented individuals.

"I would like to thank the owners, management and support staff of KKR for giving me the opportunity to lead this team and I am confident that we will find the right synergies to achieve the team's goals. Kolkata and The Eden Gardens have a very rich history when it comes to Indian cricket and I look forward to contributing to this rich history and making our fans proud of us as a team," he added.

Iyer has played 87 matches in the IPL so far. He has racked up 2,375 runs at a remarkable average of 31.66. He has 16 fifties with the best score of 96.