KKR paved way for me to get the blue jersey: Venkatesh Iyer

Venkatesh Iyer

India all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer has attributed his success and India call-up to the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), saying the team has played a vital role in introducing him to the world of cricket.

Happy to be back in the KKR side after being retained by the franchise for next year's IPL, Iyer said, "The franchise has played a very vital role in me adorning the blues. I am looking forward to playing at Eden Gardens, it's always special to be there and to play in front of a packed crowd."

Also Read: Venkatesh Iyer keen to learn from coach Rahul Dravid

Apart from Iyer, KKR retained Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, and Varun Chakravarthy. Iyer was in great form during the second-leg of the IPL in UAE and Oman and gave the team many blazing starts. He played 10 matches in the tournament and smashed 370 runs at an average of 41.11, with a strike rate of close to 130.

KKR head coach Brendon McCullum was mesmerised to hear of Iyer's incredible journey during the IPL. "Venkatesh has been quite an incredible story. For him, it was just a matter of bringing the game that he owns. He might not be that consistent because of his flamboyance. I hope he remains the Venkatesh Iyer we've seen so far. He was a big catalyst for our turnaround this season," he said.

Also Read: Venkatesh Iyer's bowling important going forward: Rohit Sharma

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