The defense champion Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) ended its IPL 2025 marketing campaign with a loss of a hundred and ten races to Sunriser’s Hyderabad (SRH) Sunday at Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Sunday. This defeat pushed KKR to end the eighth on the Point Desk – a team was expected to win a disappointing end result trophy.
By using Ajinkya Rahane, KKR struggled during the season. Prominent players such as Venkatesh Iyer, Quinton de Kock, Ramandeep Singh, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Harshit Rana did not get forms in important moments.
Venkatesh iyer’s bad appearance causes anxiety
One of the biggest mistakes was Venkatesh Iyer, who could not accurately his heavy -2323 23.75 Crore Mega Public Sales Fee. He scored only 142 races in 11 suits, on average with a strike rate of 139.22 20.29. His war has doubted his future with franchise.
Iyer also missed the last few games due to injury, adding to KKR’s troubles. Still, captain Ajinkya Rahane defended his vice-captain and dismissed claims that the price tag affected Iyer’s performance.
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Rahane Backs Iyer’s Attitude
After the match, Rahane praised Iyer’s mindset and hard work.
“A player’s attitude shouldn’t change whether they earn ₹20 crore or ₹2 crore. What matters is focusing on what you can control. Venkatesh did just that,” Rahane said.
He added that Iyer practiced hard and gave his best during matches before his injury.
“He always aimed to contribute. Unfortunately, a few players were out of form this year, which hurt our performance,” Rahane explained.
Uncertain Future for KKR Players
As KKR prepares for next season, questions remain over which players they will retain. Venkatesh Iyer’s place in the squad is still unclear.
Rahane stressed that performance doesn’t depend on auction price.
“No player works harder just because they earn more, nor do they slack off if they earn less. It’s all about attitude and commitment,” he concluded.