Venkatesh Iyer played a major part in Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) strong 80-run win against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in IPL 2025 at Eden Gardens. He scored a quick 60 off 29 balls and helped KKR reach the 200-run mark for the first time this season.
Iyer, bought for INR 23.75 crore, said he focuses more on his role than his price tag. Once the IPL begins, he said, the price is no longer important. What matters is how a player contributes to the team. High payment brings expectations, but Iyer said his goal is simply to help KKR win.
Tactical Batting Approach
Iyer explained how KKR built their innings patiently before launching into attack. The pitch was a bit tricky, with the ball turning and sticking. Ajinkya Rahane and Angkrish Raghuvanshi did the early job of assessing the conditions and shared that information with the rest of the batting lineup. Iyer and Rinku Singh then took time to settle and understand the pitch.
He said KKR had the luxury of power-hitters like Rinku, Ramandeep Singh, and Andre Russell in the lower order, which allowed the top order to take a few extra deliveries to adjust. Once the 17th over came, the batters knew it was time to accelerate. By then, they were well set and could confidently go after the bowling. Iyer noted that even big hitters like Russell or Ramandeep would have needed a few balls to understand the pitch, showing that taking time was a strategic move.
Smart Bowling and Field Strategy
KKR’s bowlers supported the batters’ efforts with a well-executed bowling plan. Vaibhav Arora gave the team a dream start, removing Travis Head and Ishan Kishan early. Harshit Rana dismissed Abhishek Sharma soon after, leaving SRH at 9/3 within three overs. The early damage made it hard for SRH to recover.
KKR’s spinners, Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy, kept the pressure on and choked the flow of runs. Iyer praised the bowling unit for sticking to the plans and targeting SRH’s aggressive approach. He said that a team that always tries to attack also opens up chances for wickets, and KKR used that to their advantage by staying sharp and focused throughout the match.
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