KKR Drops $23.75 Million Player from Playing XI for Crucial CSK Match

KKR Drops Venkatesh Iyer for Crucial Clash Against CSK

In a surprising but not unexpected move, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have benched star all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer for their crucial IPL 2025 match against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at Eden Gardens. This decision comes after a disappointing season for Iyer, who was purchased for a whopping ₹23.75 crore but has struggled to meet expectations.

Iyer’s Struggles This Season

Across 11 matches, Iyer has managed a paltry 142 runs at an average of 20.29. His strike rate of 139.22 and a top score of 60 haven’t been enough to mask his inconsistency. Iyer has been unable to provide impactful starts or crucial finishes for KKR, with no not-out innings to his name.

High Stakes for KKR

Captain Ajinkya Rahane has chosen to bat first against CSK, who are already out of playoff contention. However, for KKR, the stakes couldn’t be higher. With 11 points from 11 games and a Net Run Rate of +0.249, they are precariously positioned just outside the top five. A win against CSK is essential if they want to keep their playoff hopes alive.

A Tactical Shift

Dropping Iyer signals a clear intent from KKR to shake up their underperforming lineup and inject some momentum. With the race for the playoffs heating up, every decision is crucial. Whether this tactical shift proves successful remains to be seen, but it undoubtedly marks a pivotal moment in their season.

Playing XIs

KKR: Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Sunil Narine , Ajinkya Rahane(c), Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Manish Pandey, Andre Russell, Rinku Singh, Moeen Ali, Ramandeep Singh, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakaravarthy

CSK: Ayush Mhatre, Urvil Patel, Devon Conway, Ravindra Jadeja, Dewald Brevis, Ravichandran Ashwin, MS Dhoni(w/c), Anshul Kamboj, Noor Ahmad, Khaleel Ahmed, Matheesha Pathirana