5 Big Reasons Venkatesh Iyer Isn’t KKR Captain for IPL 2025

IPL 2025: Why did Venkatesh Iyer not become the captain of KKR? Know 5 big reasons

The explosive season is near, and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) has taken a big decision and handed over the captaincy of the team to Ajinkya Rahane. Fans were expecting Venkatesh Iyer to get this responsibility, but KKR surprised them by making him the vice-captain.

KKR spent ₹23.75 crores to buy Venkatesh Iyer, which makes him one of the most expensive players in IPL history. Still, captaincy is not just determined by the price tag, it requires experience, leadership qualities and the right mindset. So let’s know why KKR made Ajinkya Rahane the captain and Iyer the vice-captain.

5 Reasons Why Venkatesh Iyer did not Become the Captain of KKR

1. Venkatesh Iyer have no captaincy experience

Venkatesh Iyer has amazing talent, but he has zero experience in captaincy. Even in domestic cricket, Madhya Pradesh team was captained by Rajat Patidar, not Iyer. In a high-pressure league like the IPL, the captain should not only be a good player but also a great strategist.

He should know when to be aggressive, when to play defensive and how to manage the big players in the dressing room. KKR decided to gradually groom him by making him the vice-captain instead of giving him the captaincy straight away.

2. Iyer have Opportunity to play freely without any pressure

Some players get crushed under the burden of captaincy, while some flourish with it. KKR does not want the pressure of captaincy to affect Venkatesh Iyer’s game. His job is to attack the bowlers from the beginning and give the team a fast start.

After becoming a captain, a player has to focus not only on his own game but also on the entire team’s strategies, field settings, bowling changes and every small and big decision. This additional responsibility could have affected Iyer’s natural game somewhere. That’s why KKR kept him free so that he could play in his own style without any pressure.

3. Rahane’s experienced and balanced leadership

KKR won the title in 2024, and the team was playing with a balanced combination. The franchise wanted to maintain this balance and did not want to take a risk by bringing in an inexperienced captain. Ajinkya Rahane has been a part of the IPL for a long time, he has captained and everyone is confident about his calm nature.

For this reason, KKR made him the captain, but keeping the future in mind, Venkatesh Iyer was made the vice-captain and given an opportunity to learn leadership. This decision of KKR is part of future planning. Venkatesh Iyer is a great player and an important part of the team, but right now, he needs to focus on his game and gain experience instead of captaincy. If he continues to perform like this, it will not be a big deal to see him become the captain of Kolkata Knight Riders in the future.

4. Iyer will get a chance to learn from Rahane

Captaincy is not just limited to making decisions on the field, it is the art of handling pressure, reading the match situation and taking the right decision at the right time. Ajinkya Rahane has experience of captaincy in both Test and IPL. He has handled the Indian team in difficult situations and captained in big tournaments.

At the same time, Venkatesh Iyer has not captained any big team till now. KKR considers him a future leader, but instead of giving him the captaincy directly, he has been given a chance to learn with the experienced Rahane.

5. Price pressure of Rs 23.75 crore

Venkatesh Iyer already has a hefty price tag of ₹23.75 crores on his head. In such a situation, if he was given the captaincy as well, the pressure would have doubled. In the IPL, expensive players are expected to perform in every match and every decision as a captain is reviewed.

If there was a wrong strategy or his bat remained silent, the criticism would have been even more severe. By making him the vice-captain, KKR has ensured that he just focuses on his game and performs well.

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