Shreyas Iyer is set to depart from Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The Mumbai batter has been a tough negotiator with the team’s management, prompting the defending champions to seemingly move on from their captain.
It is now confirmed that he will not be included in KKR’s retention list, which will be submitted to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Thursday evening. While the possibility of using the Right to Match (RTM) card remains, that will be addressed at the auction next month.
Franchises typically prefer Indian players as captains, making Iyer a strong leadership candidate after KKR’s championship win. Rumors suggest he has drawn interest from several teams.
Iyer is reportedly seeking a high salary, but IPL professionals evaluate factors like fitness, performance, and international status before deciding, relying on data analysis for valuations.
Shreyas Iyer led KKR during their championship-winning 2024 season.
Iyer’s current IPL salary is INR 12.25 crore, which KKR paid during the 2022 auction. That season, he scored 401 runs in 14 matches at an average of 30.85. In 2024, he scored 50 runs less, but had a better average of 39 due to five unbeaten innings.
He missed the 2023 season due to a recurring back injury that needed surgery. In nine seasons and 115 games, he has scored 3,127 runs, averaging 32.24 with a strike rate of 127.48. He currently lacks a BCCI contract and is out of the Indian team after falling out of favor with selectors.
As IPL retention approaches, a significant debate is emerging among teams about whether they can engage in discussions with players still under contract. This issue has even been raised with the BCCI.
Negotiations may be happening through player agents, who are reportedly active behind the scenes, discussing and promising large sums. However, the uncertainty of auction dynamics raises the question: how can a player be guaranteed a substantial bid?
One potential solution is the new RTM rule, which allows a franchise to match a player’s bid up to a pre-agreed amount, but only if they choose to exercise the RTM option. They may opt not to use it.
For instance, if Player X enters the auction with a promise of INR 25 crore, but bidding concludes at INR 15 crore, the competing team can raise it to INR 25 crore only if the original franchise exercises the RTM. Without that, the player could settle for the lower amount.
This situation raises concerns for players promised high bids before the retention deadline. With ten teams and six RTMs each, the auction could see at least 25 RTMs, but these pre-bid agreements may not come to fruition.
Get the latest cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.
