'It's about getting that respect' - Shreyas Iyer Breaks Silence on KKR Release From IPL 2025

From January 2024 onward, Shreyas Iyer has been through a lot. From being removed from the BCCI's central contracts list to winning the IPL with the Kolkata Knight Riders to currently playing for the Indian side that won the Champions Trophy, he has witnessed it all. Not surprisingly, Rohit Sharma praised India No. 4's efforts and called him the "silent hero." Shreyas Iyer, who led KKR to win last year and had a breakout Champions Trophy 2025, acknowledged that he did not receive enough credit.

Shreyas Iyer, who may have been released by the Kolkata Knight Riders but will continue to play as the captain of the Punjab Kings, was India's top run scorer in the tournament. The bold middle-order batsman has had an incredible time as an IPL skipper since being signed by the team for INR 26.75 crore. In addition to leading the KKR squad to their third championship last season and playing in two IPL finals, Shreyas Iyer's release from the team surprised the supporters.

When India was in trouble during the Champions Trophy 2025, Shreyas came through time and time again. The 30-year-old scored 243 runs in the five games, with his top total of 79 against New Zealand in a Group A contest. After taking out Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Shubman Gill, Shreyas was the one who kept the ship afloat even in the final match against the Kiwis.

Shreyas Iyer gets candid:

Shreyas Iyer admitted to not getting enough recognition after leading KKR to their third IPL title win in 2024.#IPL #KolkataKnightRiders #ShreyasIyer #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/SflKIC7dZL

— InsideSport (@InsideSportIND) March 11, 2025

In response to a question about whether he was frustrated by the team's full disregard for him during the auction, the Mumbai batter spoke up on his relationship with the team and how his efforts went unappreciated while leading the team last season. Times Of India quotes Iyer, “Frustration toh nahi tha (Frustration was not there) because I was playing IPL. The major focus was to win the IPL, and thankfully, I won it. I personally felt I didn't get the recognition I wanted to after winning the IPL but at the end of the day, as long as you have self-integrity and you keep doing the right things when no one is watching, that is more important and that is what I kept doing."

Shreyas Iyer, whose leadership was a major factor in KKR's 2024 IPL victory, stated that he believes that occasionally his efforts go unappreciated. He is enjoying all of the success that is coming his way, so he is not the one to complain. He added, "When I talk about recognition, it's about getting that respect. It was about the respect for whatever efforts I put on the field. I think sometimes it gets unnoticed but extremely satisfied with the efforts I put in because they weren't easy wickets to bat on."

Regarding Shreyas Iyer's performance in the Champions Trophy, he finished as the second-highest run scorer in the ICC competition with 243 runs at an average of 48.60. He scored two half-centuries, with his highest being 79 in a group-stage match against New Zealand. In the finals, he too had a fantastic hand.

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