‘Loyalty is expensive’ - Aakash Chopra names Venkatesh Iyer’s cheap replacements for KKR

Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders broke the bank to acquire the services of Venkatesh Iyer for INR 23.75 crore. He was one of the big reasons behind KKR qualifying for the 2021 IPL final and in the last season, the 29-year-old made 370 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 158.79. Kolkata management was highly impressed by his performance and for the same reason, they decided to go the distance to have Venkatesh back in the squad.

Former cricketer Aakash Chopra analysed KKR’s move and highlighted that with the same money, KKR could have gotten back Phil Salt or signed KL Rahul or Ishan Kishan. He noted that a franchise often spends such a high amount for a proven captain or a cricketer who can cover different bases. Chopra stated that Venkatesh isn’t that ‘double-skilled’ player and added that by spending heavily on him, KKR compromised their auction strategy.

Also Read - IPL 2025: 3 Players KKR should have gone for instead of Venkatesh Iyer at Mega Auction

“They couldn't retain the Iyers (Shreyas and Venkatesh) and they probably knew that they would get only one of them when they went into the auction. They didn't go for their captain but for Venky. When you spend ₹23.75 crore for one player, you think he will either become this team's captain or will be a double-skilled player at least but he is neither of them,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

“Loyalty is expensive, it is absolutely right. When you spend so much money on a player, your balance is compromised somewhere or the other. Then you start thinking whether you could have picked Salt instead of him. You would have got Salt for ₹12 crore and were getting KL Rahul for ₹14 crore, or else Ishan Kishan. He also could have opened,” the 47-year-old added.

With Shreyas Iyer gone, KKR will have to appoint a new captain ahead of the forthcoming season. Chopra recalled the options in Rinku Singh, Sunil Narine, Venkatesh, Ajinkya Rahane, Manish Pandey and Moeen Ali but couldn’t pinpoint one name that the franchise can consider.