IPL 2025: “Focus on the Present” – Venkatesh Iyer Recalls Shah Rukh Khan’s Valuable Lesson

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KKR Vice-Captain Reflects on His Journey, IPL Comeback, and the Wisdom That Changed His Mindset

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🏏 “I Missed Out on Both”: Iyer on Learning to Stay in the Moment

Ahead of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) vice-captain Venkatesh Iyer reflected on a crucial life lesson he learned from Bollywood superstar and KKR owner, Shah Rukh Khan.

📢 “Sometimes, in the pursuit of something extraordinary, we forget to appreciate what we already have. And these are not my words—Shah Rukh Khan told me this.”

Speaking on Backstage with Boria, Iyer shared how focusing too much on a potential T20 World Cup selection in 2022 led to him losing focus on his present matches—and ultimately, missing out on both.

💬 “Instead of focusing on my present matches, I started thinking about the World Cup. In the end, I missed out on both. That experience was a turning point. It taught me the value of focusing on the present, a lesson reinforced when an injury sidelined me for six to eight months.”

The setback made him more grateful and reinforced the importance of staying in the moment, a philosophy Shah Rukh Khan also believes in.

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💰 IPL 2025: KKR Backs Iyer with ₹23.75 Crore Return

Iyer, one of KKR’s most impactful all-rounders, was retained for a whopping ₹23.75 crore, underlining the franchise’s trust in his abilities. He will serve as vice-captain under new skipper Ajinkya Rahane, as the team kicks off their title defence against RCB.

📊 Venkatesh Iyer’s IPL Stats:
✅ Matches: 51
✅ Runs: 1,326
✅ Batting Average: 31.57
✅ Strike Rate: 137.06
✅ 50s/100s: 11/1
✅ Best Score: 104
✅ Wickets: 3

His title-winning 2024 season saw him amass 370 runs in 13 innings at an average of 46.25 and a blistering strike rate of 158.79, including crucial half-centuries in the playoffs and final against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).

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🇮🇳 International Career: Can IPL 2025 Bring Him Back to Team India?

📢 “A fine IPL season brought Venkatesh into the senior team in 2021, as Hardik Pandya struggled with injuries.”

Since making his India debut in 2021, Iyer has played:
🔹 9 T20Is – 133 runs @ 162.19 SR + 5 wickets
🔹 2 ODIs – 24 runs

However, he hasn’t played for India since February 2022, making IPL 2025 a make-or-break opportunity for his international comeback.

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🏆 Can Iyer Lead KKR to a Third IPL Title?

With a power-packed KKR squad, an invaluable lesson from Shah Rukh Khan, and a leadership role as vice-captain, Iyer is set to be one of the most exciting players to watch this IPL season.

📢 “It is about keeping it simple—practicing well and staying on the same page as a team. It is going to be a great season for us,” he concluded.