Shreyas Iyer, the 2024 IPL-winning captain, isn’t a sure shot retention for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as the defendingchampions zero in ontheir choices ahead of theOctober 31 deadline.
KKR are still “weighing various options”, as a source put it, in their bid to finalise the five capped playersfor retention. The ‘uncapped’ Harshit Rana is set to bethe sixth.
The Knights have an abundance of riches at their disposal — Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Phil Salt, Mitchell Starc, Rinku Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Venkatesh Iyer and Shreyas — prompting them to debate who deserves to be retained.
Principal owner Shah Rukh Khan had vociferously demanded a policy of Right to Match cards and no retentions during the BCCI’s meeting with franchise owners in July. However, a modification in the RTM clause, where “the highest bidder will be given one final opportunity to raise their bid for a player before the team holding the RTM card can exercise their right”, has forced a changein opinion.
The IPL governing council increased the purse for the mega auction to ₹120 crore while setting various retention slabs — ₹18 crore, ₹14 crore, and ₹11 crore for the first three capped players, ₹18 crore and ₹14 crore for the next two, while uncapped Indians can fetch a maximum of ₹4 crore. The franchises, however, are allowed to divide the capped retention purse of ₹75 crore among five capped players as they wish.
A franchise can retain up to six players — including a maximum of five capped players (Indian or overseas) and two uncapped Indians.
Shreyas was roped in by KKR in 2022 as a potential leader to fill in for Eoin Morgan. The KKR management, including chief executive Venky Mysore, share a good rapport with him and have stood by him during his troubled times.
During their winning run last season, Shreyas scored 351 runs in 14 innings at a strike-rate of 146.86. KKR know well that they have a proven captaincy hand in the Mumbai batter though he doesn’t quite fall in the elite company of a Gautam Gambhir or a Morgan.
A large part of his success last season was attributed to Gambhir’s presence as mentor and KKR are ready to go the extra mile in search of a new captain. Given their options, the jury is out on whether KKR will offer the highest retention slab to Shreyas. If he doesn’t agree, he will find himself back in the auction pool.
There have been talks that a few other franchises are vying for him though KKR have maintained that no final decision has yet been taken on their retention policy.
Sources told The Telegraph that there was some uncertainty over Rinku’s retention but things seem to have been sorted out for now. Mysore is a master when it comes to managing players and they trust him.
A major part of their retention will depend ontheir strategy towards the veteran West Indian duo of Russell and Narine. Both performed admirably last season and they are expected to continue with them for anotherseason. Salt will also be in the reckoning after providing electrifying starts to the innings in IPL 2024.
In the event that KKR continue with Venkatesh, Rinku and Varun, Shreyas will be tough to accommodate. The IPL-winning captain is expecting to get the highest retention slab of ₹18 crore.
KKR have a penchant for high performers and for Shreyas, a shot at the auction pool may be the way forward.