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“And I Felt” Rahane Stands Firm Behind Venkatesh Iyer, Shrugs Off Price Tag Pressure

Poulomi Chakraborty

Ajinkya Rahane Backs Venkatesh Iyer (Source: @KnightsVibe/x.com)Ajinkya Rahane Backs Venkatesh Iyer (Source: @KnightsVibe/x.com)

Kolkata Knight Riders hoped to end their season on a high, but the tide turned cruelly against them as they suffered a massive defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad in their final group stage clash. Similar to the entire season, KKR’s batting lineup faltered, adding yet another chapter of disappointment.

Venkatesh Iyer, KKR’s costliest pick of the season, remained under the spotlight for all the wrong reasons as his form drew constant scrutiny. After wrapping up the season, captain Ajinkya Rahane backed the star batter.

Rahane Extends His Support To Venkatesh

As the Kolkata Knight Riders lifted the IPL trophy after 10 years in the last season, Venkatesh Iyer’s batting brilliance was a pillar behind it. But the tide turned in the ongoing season as the batter was seen struggling with the bat. Even after being the costliest buy of the franchise, he scored only 142 runs in 7 matches.

His questionable form drew some serious criticism as the batter failed to back KKR's lineup. Questions were raised on his price tag of 23.75 crore. But as KKR bowed out of the group stage, captain Ajinkya Rahane defended the star, saying a big price tag doesn’t demand extra pressure, every player faces ups and downs.

“Someone's not going to work doubly harder if he's getting Rs 20 plus crore, or someone's not going to work less harder when he's getting one, two, three crore, whatever it is,” Rahane said.

“Your attitude doesn't change on the field. You know, that's what matters. As a player, you only focus on the controllable things. And I felt Venkatesh Iyer was actually focusing on the controllable things,” he added.

A Season For The Memory Bin

After lifting the long-awaited trophy last year, the Kolkata Knight Riders started a new chapter under Ajinkya Rahane’s leadership. However, the beginning turned out to be a forgettable one. Despite some strong performances from the bowlers, the defending champions couldn’t shake their batting woes, which haunted them throughout the campaign.

In 14 matches, they registered only 5 victories and 7 defeats and ended the campaign in eighth position on the points table. While they aimed for a strong finish, Sunrisers Hyderabad’s relentless batting onslaught dashed those hopes, leaving Ajinkya Rahane and his squad with a heartbreaking end to their campaign.