Shreyas Iyer set to captain KKR in IPL 2024; Nitish Rana to serve as deputy
Shreyas Iyer will once again lead the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the 2024 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Shreyas did not partake in the 2023 season due to injury, with Nitish Rana named as captain.
In the absence of the regular skipper, Rana guided the franchise to the seventh position in the standings with six wins and eight losses.
With Shreyas now free of all injury concerns, he will lead the team as confirmed by franchise CEO Venky Mysore. The right-handed batter was roped in by KKR at the 2022 mega auction for his batting and leadership ability, having guided the Delhi Capitals (DC) to the IPL 2020 final. The Knight Riders were in search of a new captain after releasing the likes of Eoin Morgan and Dinesh Karthik.
Shreyas led the KKR outfit in the 2022 season, but could not guide the team into the playoffs. The franchise finished seventh with 12 points.
"It was indeed unfortunate that Shreyas missed IPL 2023 due to injury. We are delighted that he is back and at the helm as captain. The way he has worked hard to recover from his injury and the form he has displayed is testament to his character. We are also grateful that Nitish had agreed to step up into Shreyas' shoes last season and did a great job. There's no doubt Nitish as vice-captain will support Shreyas in every way possible for the benefit of Team KKR," KKR CEO Venky Mysore said in a statement.
Shreyas missed the bulk of 2023 due to a back injury, and the subsequent surgery to address the issue. He missed the World Test Championship (WTC) final as well as the 2023 IPL and made his return in the 2023 Asia Cup. The stylish batter was part of the 2023 ODI World Cup squad that finished as runners-up.
"I believe the last season presented us with several challenges" - Shreyas Iyer
There are a lot of expectations from KKR going into IPL 2024, especially as they have failed to make it to the playoffs for two consecutive seasons.
The working partnership between the returning skipper Shreyas Iyer as well as newly appointed mentor Gautam Gambhir will play a crucial role, starting with the upcoming 2024 IPL mini-auction on December 19.
"I believe the last season presented us with several challenges, including my absence due to injury. Nitish did a great job, not only filling in for me, but also with his commendable leadership. I am delighted that KKR has named him vice-captain . No doubt it will strengthen the leadership group," Shreyas said in a statement released by KKR.
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