'He Got Them Back To The Playoffs In Dubai': Anil Kumble Wants KKR To Re-evaluate Venkatesh Iyer’s Role With The Bat

IPL 2025: Veteran India cricketer and former head coach Anil Kumble wants the Kolkata Knight Riders to re-evaluate Venkatesh Iyer's position in the team's batting unit. Iyer was brought back to the Knight Riders for a whopping INR 23.75 Crore and was named as the vice-captain for the defending champions. However, he has failed to meet expectations and has failed to justify his steep price tag.

Anil Kumble Wants KKR To Re-Evaluate

Venkatesh Iyer was expected to be one of KKR's top performers as the defending IPL champions began their campaign. However, he has managed to score just one half-century in the six innings he has played. With only 135 runs at an average of 22.50 and a strike rate of 139.17, Iyer hasn't been a hit for the franchise in the cash-rich league. Amid the team's struggles, Anil Kumble has urged the Knight Riders to move Iyer up in the order as he has done wonders from that spot in the past.

"They had an opportunity in this game to move Venky right up the order (in this game). Open the batting with Sunil Narine and then bring in an Indian wicketkeeper. Anyway, they were looking to drop Ramandeep - okay, fine, get (Luvnith) Sisodia in, he's not a bad player, he can keep wicket. And bring (Anrich) Nortje because Nortje can play instead of Chetan Sakariya.

"(Venkatesh) needs that pace on the ball. You have six overs, the powerplay, it's where he can play his natural game, hit over the top. He's done it in the past, that's how he got KKR back into the playoffs when they were down and out in Dubai," Anil Kumble said during an appearance on ESPNcricinfo.

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Kolkata Knight Riders' Struggle In IPL 2025 Continue

The Kolkata Knight Riders would be alarmed with the situation they are in at the moment. With three wins, five losses and a match being abandoned due to rain, the defending champions currently stand in the seventh spot in the points table. The Ajinkya Rahane-led franchise still has a chance to bounce back and get themselves into playoff contention. But KKR needs to make crucial amends and prepare the batting unit for any big challenge.

KKR will be heading for an away fixture and they will face the Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on April 29, 2025, at 07:30 PM IST.

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