Venkatesh Iyer, the Kolkata Knight Riders all-rounder, observed that India are the favourites to win the Champion Trophy final. The Men in Blue will lock horns against New Zealand in the summit clash on Sunday (March 9).
On day two of RevSportz’s Trailblazers Conclave 3.0, Iyer also said that Rinku Singh is the funniest guy in the KKR set-up, but it was very tough to make Gautam Gambhir smile. In terms of assessing Gambhir, Iyer observed that his achievements speak for itself. He is very competitive and only victory gives him happiness.
Iyer also shared his affection for Kolkata as a city. “KKR gave me that opportunity. Be it KKR or Mohun Bagan, people get connected to teams here in Kolkata. They also appreciate good cricket if the opponent plays well. And the food, I just love it and please tell me where I can get it.
“KKR fans are like my family. They are very passionate compared to other fans like CSK fans and RCB fans. When I played against New Zealand here, they were very supportive of New Zealand players also. Kids were crying to see KKR players, to shake hands with Rinku Singh and that is the passion I am talking about which makes KKR fans special.” He further added.
On people commenting on team India having an advantage in the Champions Trophy for playing all matches in Dubai, he said: “It is not like we have an advantage. We win because we have that skill. We go to Australia, England and win because of skill. Why don’t other teams come here, adapt and beat us? So, there is no advantage. It is all about that quality.”
He also shared his thoughts on playing the longest format. “I really want to play Test cricket for India. The love for that Baggie cap is still there. I have played for Lancashire in the county and hence, I believe I can help the team in the upcoming England tour if I am given a chance. Definitely, it is on my mind.”
On his preferred role in the batting order, he noted, “I like to be the guy who floats around in the batting order. I enjoy this role and mentally as well as physically, it keeps me excited.”
While speaking on the ‘Impact Player’ rule, he raised an important point, saying, “The rule will never stop a genuine allrounder from their capabilities. Like it will never stop Sunil Narine from bowling four overs. It is about tactics.”
On getting 23.75 crore for the IPL 2025, Iyer said: “Who would not be happy? My mother has actually said to me that when KKR have paid so much money, there is more responsibility on those shoulders. I know the numbers and all but excited to kick off the season.”
Iyer also said that it is wonderful to have Shahrukh Khan as an owner. “He gives you that older brother vibe. The first question from him is always about our families. He makes everyone believe that every player belongs to this team. I am proud that I play for his team.”
On Saurav Ganguly, Iyer went on to say, “The era that Dada captained, that was crucial. My first interaction with Dada was at Eden Gardens as I came for Madhya Pradesh’s match. His messages have been so supportive.” He also added, “I really like and admire Rajat Patidar. Angkrish Raghuvanshi, KKR’s starboy can be a big thing in Indian cricket and I hope he does well in the upcoming season.”
He also showed a huge amount of respect to the Paralympians “Believe me, whatever I or we do, it doesn’t even come close to what you guys are doing.”
Iyer then concluded on a light-hearted tone, “WWE brings back the childish part in me. It gives me that opportunity to relieve that childhood. I never let any opportunity to watch WWE.”