Shreyas Iyer, Andre Russell, and Tilak Varma from left to right. (BCCI/MI)
Defending Champions Kolkata Knight Riders have decided to part ways with skipper Shreyas Iyer ahead of the mega auction. The Indian Express understands that the franchise and the batter could not find the middle ground.
Iyer has been bought by KKR franchise for 12.25 crores in 2022. However, he missed the entire 2023 season due to an injury and was back in the side in 2024. Under his leadership, the franchise finished seventh in 2022 and was champion in 2024.
With the bat, Iyer has had mixed returns. In 29 games he scored 752 runs at an average of 34.18 and strike rate of 140.04.
It is also understood that the franchise is not keen to retain Andre Russell who has been retained in every auction since he was brought by the Kolkata-based franchise in 2012 and Mitchell Starc who has been the most expensive player in the history of (IPL 24.75 Crores in 2023 auction) will also be not retained instead they will grab them in the auction.
Russell though has been rolling his arm over and also has delivered the fireworks with the bat consistently in the last few seasons there is a fitness question always hanging around his neck meanwhile Starc has had a poor season until the final stages of the tournament in the 2024 campaign. In 14 games the left-arm seamer picked up 17 wickets at 10.61.
Earlier, the franchise has so far decided to retain Rinku Singh and Harshit Rana (uncapped category).
Tilak Varma to be retained by MI?
Mumbai Indians, who had earlier decided to retain their core senior group, Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, and Jasprit Bumrah are now keen to retain Varma as their fifth player.
Varma despite the side’s poor performance in the last couple of seasons has shone in the middle-order for the franchise. He delivered knocks with substances consistently when the team was in trouble. In 38 games for the franchise, the 21-year-old scored 1156 runs striking at 146.33. Additionally, the left-hander can also chip in with a bit of off-spin.
If Varma is retained then which means the franchise will lose out 75 crores from their purse.
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