'So far, he has been an amazing leader of the group'- Venkatesh Iyer on Ajinkya Rahane's leadership

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are gearing up for the opener of the IPL 2025 and the star all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer shares that he is excited to play under his new skipper Ajinkya Rahane. 

Ajinkya Rahane after being appointed as the skipper of the defending champions becomes now the only player to lead three IPL franchises and will be hoping for KKR to defend their title this season. Though the season has not started Iyer has already opened up on how Rahane as the leader is trying to gel with the team ahead of the cash-rich league. Venkatesh Iyer also openly praised his experience in the game and how he remains calm under pressure. 

“So far, he has been an amazing leader of the group. He has taken the initiative to make conversations with all of us and try to gel with the team. We are talking about someone who has led India across formats and captained IPL teams before. He has a great head on his shoulders, remains composed under pressure, and has been a stalwart of the game. He has scored runs everywhere. For me, it's going to be a great learning experience, and I am quite excited to play under him," Iyer said as quoted by NDTV. 

I have always carried myself as a leader: Venkatesh Iyer 

Venkatesh Iyer has been appointed as the vice-captain of Kolkata Knight Riders and was asked about the responsibility to which he answered saying that he has always carried himself as a leader and put in the hard yards. He also mentioned how well the team's preparations are going ahead of the tournament. 

“There is no specific preparation for it. I have always carried myself as a leader, so it's not entirely new to me. I have put in the hard yards in both batting and bowling. More than anything, it's about mindset--if you have accepted the role and are willing to take on the responsibility, half the job is already done. Our preparation has been good, and we have a strong group of players. I'm really excited and looking forward to the season,” Iyer added.