"Maybe he was told to change his statement" - Aakash Chopra on Shreyas Iyer's clarification on his 'KKR CEO is involved in team selection' comment
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Shreyas Iyer had earlier revealed during the ongoing IPL 2022 that the team's CEO Venky Mysore was also involved in the team selection. However, the KKR skipper later clarified, saying he meant that the CEO was there to console players who were sitting out.
Ex-India opener Aakash Chopra believes Shreyas Iyer may have been told to change his statement by the team management. Speaking on his YouTube channel, the cricketer-turned-commentator reckoned that the KKR management might have wanted Iyer to issue a clarification over his comments about Mysore.
He pointed out that Iyer 'looked upset' while in conversation with head coach Brendon McCullum after his dismissal against Rajasthan Royals (RR). Aakash Chopra said:
"Shreyas Iyer once said in a press conference that the KKR CEO is also involved in team selection. I think he got a rap on his knuckles and maybe he was told to change his statement. He then clarified that he had meant that the CEO motivates players when they get dropped and consoles them, but he isn't involved in the team selection.
"But I am not sure about that because we saw in one game that he visibly looked upset while talking to Brendon McCullum after getting out against RR."
The franchise are expected to introduce some changes to their coaching staff for next year's cash-rich league. Brendon McCullum will no longer serve as the IPL team's head coach. He stepped down from his position after the side's elimination. He has been appointed as the new coach of England's Test side.
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KKR in IPL 2022
The Kolkata-based side started their campaign on a promising note, winning three of their first four fixtures. However, they struggled with their consistency soon after and ended up in the bottom half of the standings.
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Last season's finalists failed to make it to the IPL playoffs this year. The Shreyas Iyer-led side were able to secure just six wins from their fourteen games and finished seventh in the IPL points table 2022.