The Kolkata Knight Riders have announced their retention list for IPL 2025. They have retained some big names while releasing others. Notably, they have released their captain Shreyas Iyer, under whose leadership the team won the title last season. This decision surprised everyone. However, KKR’s CEO Venky Mysore has now provided a significant statement regarding this move, explaining why Shreyas Iyer was not retained.
The IPL 2024 champions, Kolkata Knight Riders, retained a total of six players before the auction. This list includes Sunil Narine, Rinku Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, and Andre Russell. Among uncapped players, the franchise retained fast bowlers Harshit Rana and Ramandeep Singh. The franchise shocked everyone by releasing major players like captain Shreyas Iyer and Mitchell Starc. Reports suggest that there was no agreement reached between Shreyas Iyer and the franchise, which led to his release.
In response to the decision not to retain Shreyas Iyer, KKR CEO Venky Mysore has given a major reaction. He stated:
“There are many aspects to retention. Most people don’t understand that there is a significant need for mutual agreement in this process. It’s not just a one-sided story. Players also need to consider various factors and give their consent. Sometimes, mutual agreement cannot be reached due to different reasons. This can involve money or someone wanting to assess their value. Such factors can influence the decision, but he was at the top of our retention list. He was the team’s captain, and we needed to build the team around him. We selected him in 2022 for this specific role. He was injured in 2023, but as soon as he returned, he was made captain again. I had a great rapport with him, but ultimately, people have to make their own decisions about what is best for them and which direction they want to go.”
