'Up to media to decide my captaincy hype': KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer

Shreyas Iyer-led teams have reached the IPL final twice in the last four years. First it was Delhi Capitals, in 2020, and now it is Kolkata Knight Riders. The KKR skipper has little qualms about not being celebrated enough as a leader and ceding spotlight to mentor Gautam Gambhir.

KKR will take on Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL final at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday.

Asked if he feels that his achievements, as a captain, haven’t received enough traction, the Mumbaikar replied sharply.

“The hype is definitely created by you guys (media). Where I stand (as a skipper) is definitely on you (to decide),” Iyer replied during the pre-match conference on Saturday.

Gambhir’s presence has been a big factor behind KKR’s run to the final. In the league stage, Kolkata finished top of the ladder and then booked a spot in the title clash on the first time of asking. Iyer termed Gambhir as one of the finest readers of the T20 game.

“About Gautam bhai, I feel he has got immense knowledge about how the game is played. He has won two titles previously with KKR, and his strategies have been spot-on in terms of what execution we have to make against the opposition.”

Iyer appeared confident that KKR would once again get the upper hand over SRH with Gambhir offering his invaluable inputs from the dugout.

“Hopefully, we keep continuing with the same momentum with his knowledge.”

Iyer has had a dramatic last six months. After the high of ODI World Cup, he struggled for form in Test cricket, was dropped mid-series against England, the back injury resurfaced, lost his annual contract and missed the bus for the T20 World Cup.

His initial reluctance to play red-ball domestic cricket saw him lose the BCCI central contract. But he did come back and play the Ranji Trophy final against Vidarbha where he scored a 95 in the second innings.

The scars have not healed, and were evident when he spoke about how people didn’t believe him when he talked about his struggles with a back injury, which seemed to have resurfaced.

“I was definitely struggling after the World Cup in the longer format. When I raised my concern, no one was agreeing to it. But, at the same time, the competition was with myself,” said Iyer, who has scored over 4000 runs in 124 games across three formats.

For Iyer, it was crucial to stay focused on the job rather than thinking about what all had gone wrong.

“When IPL was approaching, all I wanted was to put my best foot forward. Whatever planning and strategising we did before it and executing it to the best of our abilities, and that’s where we are right now,” he added.

Unlike others who loosely use the word adjustment and adaptability, Iyer admitted that it was easier said than done.

“The transformation from red ball to white ball is difficult as a batter and also as a bowler. So, it was difficult at the start, but once you get used to it, you pick up the pace and match on with the other players.”

While Iyer did have a torrid time during February-March, he gradually started to get over his concerns about national selection once he appeared for Mumbai in the Ranji final.

“We won the final. I was a part of the team and also contributed in the final. It gives me immense pleasure to be playing so well in the last few months,” said Iyer, who headlined his team’s chase in the first qualifier against SRH with a well-timed unbeaten 58.

“All I did was stay in the present and not think about what was going to happen to me or was worried about the selection process.”

“I just wanted to come and participate and play to the best of my abilities,” he stated.