• Home
  • Who Said What
  • There Is Pressure Venkatesh Iyer Opens Up On His Life Changing Ipl Deal

'There Is pressure': Venkatesh Iyer Opens Up On His Life-Changing IPL Deal

Kaushik Kashyap

Venkatesh Iyer opened up on his price tag in IPL 2025. [Source - Revzportz/x.com]Venkatesh Iyer opened up on his price tag in IPL 2025. [Source - Revzportz/x.com]

The excitement is at its peak as the 18th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL0 is less than two days away. Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will be in action as they host the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the tournament opener at the Eden Gardens.

All eyes will be on the Men In Purple as they look to retain their crown as champions after what was a monumental season last year for the Knight Riders. Now, they will be determined to replicate last year’s success and one of their key players in this mission will be Venkatesh Iyer.

Venkatesh Iyer's Jaw-Dropping Auction Price

Venkatesh played a crucial role in KKR’s title winning campaign last year. The left-handed batter delivered match winning performances with his swashbuckling batting approach at the top of the order.

Coming to the 2025 season, KKR re-acquired Venkatesh with a hefty amount of Rs. 23.75 Crore, making him one of the most expensive players in the history of IPL. This sizable investment reflects KKR’s faith in Venkatesh’s abilities as someone who is also going to play a leadership role in the team going forward.

During a conversation in Backstage with Boria, Venkatesh opened up on the pressure associated with his price tag ahead of the upcoming IPL 2025 edition. He shed light on the kind of expectation people have once a player is sold out for such big value, but his focus will remain with on the field performances.

"If I say there is no pressure, I would be lying. Of course, there is pressure. And there has to be pressure. But once the match starts, none of it matters. Whether I am a Rs20 lakh player or a Rs 20 crore player, my job remains the same," Venkatesh said. 

Venkatesh also described the IPL 2025 auction as a life-changing moment, particularly for someone from a middle-class background like him. Having started his IPL career with KKR back in 2021, his rise to getting acquired at such a high amount this year was nothing short of a dream come true.

IPL continues to provide a platform where talent gets rewarded and lives are changed. Venkatesh is one such example, whose journey serves as an inspiration to budding cricketers that with hard work and determination, IPL can be a big game changer in life.