MUMBAI: Kolkata Knight Riders vice-captain Venkatesh Iyer played down the weight of expectations that comes with his ₹23.75 crore price tag, following a stunning match-winning performance against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Iyer, who struck a rapid 60 off just 29 deliveries, shared a game-changing 91-run stand with Rinku Singh that helped KKR recover from 106/4 and post a competitive total.
Speaking at the post-match presentation, Iyer acknowledged the pressure surrounding his hefty price but remained unfazed.
“I won’t deny there’s some pressure with that kind of valuation—especially with all the outside noise,” he admitted. “But being the highest-paid player doesn’t mean I need to deliver with the bat every single time. It’s more about creating an impact and helping the team win.”
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At the media interaction that followed, the left-hander stressed the importance of adapting to match situations and conditions.
“It’s not just about playing aggressively, but doing so with purpose. If you’re 50 for 6 and still swinging for the fences, that’s not smart cricket. True intent is about reading the game and capitalising on the conditions to your advantage,” he explained.
Iyer also shared insights into KKR’s overall approach, emphasising a balanced and mature mindset.
“We don’t want to be a side that scores 250 when things go well but crashes for 70 on a bad day,” he said. “The goal is to assess the conditions quickly, set a par score, and aim to go 20 runs beyond that. That’s what aggression means for us.”
KKR’s calculated batting effort, led by Iyer and Rinku, set the tone for a strong all-round performance. They later capitalised on SRH’s high-risk approach, bowling them out for 120 in a convincing win.
“Even when you put up 200-220 on the board, SRH are dangerous because they keep going hard,” Iyer said. “But ultra-aggressive teams can be vulnerable to collapses, and that’s what we looked to take advantage of.”
He also credited experienced campaigner Ajinkya Rahane and youngster Angkrish Raghuvanshi for helping steer the innings with their tactical inputs during a timeout.
“They reminded us it wasn’t a surface to just swing blindly. It was crucial to take our time and understand what the pitch was doing,” Iyer concluded.
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