Shreyas Iyer Breaks Long Silence On KKR Exit: "I Wasn't Completely In..."

One of the finest white-ball batters in the game at present, Shreyas Iyer is a man who has won over fans over the last year or so with his consistent performances. Be it for India in ODI cricket or for Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League, Iyer has built his reputation as one of the finest middle-order batters in the game at present. Despite the talent he has, Iyer's career graph has been quite topsy-turvy. The batter left Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) after the IPL 2024 season, before being roped in by the Punjab Kings in the mega auction.

In an interview with GQ, Iyer broke the silence on what led to him leaving the Knight Riders. The 30-year-old hinted that the sort of respect he enjoys at Punjab Kings wasn't there at KKR.

"I offer a lot as a captain and player. If I get respect, anything can be accomplished," says Iyer. "This is what happened at Punjab. They gave me all the support I needed, whether it was the coaches, management or players. I was coming off a high, having just helped India win the Champions Trophy. So all the stakeholders at Punjab Kings were eager to hear from me and have me contribute meaningfully. This allowed me to be decisive both on and off the field. I was in every meeting with the management and coaches, contributing strategically. This is something I love!"

Further during the conversation, Iyer opened up on his decision to leave KKR, a franchise where he held the captain's role as well, just like PBKS. But, the veteran batter revealed that he wasn't completely in the mix at Kolkata, the way he is at Punjab.

"I was part of the conversation, but wasn't completely in the mix. I've had to work my way up to get to the position I am in now," Iyer revealed.

Topics mentioned in this article

Kolkata Knight Riders Punjab Kings Shreyas Iyer Cricket