Why was Shreyas Iyer not retained by KKR? CEO Venky Mysore reveals

Along expected lines, defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) used each of their six retention slots ahead of the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL). What was a big surprise, though, was the fact that title-winning captain Shreyas Iyer wasn’t among the players the franchise chose to retain.

Iyer was purchased by KKR for ₹12.25 crore at the 2022 mega auction. After missing IPL 2023 due to injury, he led the team to their first trophy in a decade earlier this year. It was no secret that KKR had close to 10 ‘retainable’ players, but given that he’d led the team to a title, Iyer was expected to be retained. 

So why did the three-time champions opt not to retain Iyer's services? The franchise’s CEO, Venky Mysore, opened up about the matter and revealed it all in a recent interview.

“The interesting thing about retention is that there are so many aspects to it and forces as play,” Mysore said on Revsports.

"But what is fundamental to a retention that most people sometimes don’t understand is that it’s a matter of mutually agreeing. It’s not a one-sided right that a franchise has. The player also has to consider various factors and agree."

Mysore said that Iyer was their first priority when it came to retention and hinted that the two parties had to part ways because they could not reach a fair financial agreement.

“Sometimes along the line, that agreement doesn’t happen because of various factors; money or somebody wants to test their value or whatever it is. That influences a decision as well, eventually, but he was No.1 on our list," he added.

Mysore had nothing but words of praise for Iyer despite the fact that the franchise and the individual had opted to go in different directions.

“He was an integral part, did a terrific job and I enjoyed a personal rapport with him. But at the end of the day, people also have to make their own decisions and decide on what’s best for them and the direction that want to go," Mysore said in the same interaction.

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