Shreyas Iyer was signed by PBKS for INR 26.75 crore at the mega auction.
Under Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) clinched their IPL title last season. However, the middle-order batter was not retained by the franchise, much to the shock of the fans, experts and former cricketer alike.
After parting ways with KKR, Shreyas entered the mega auction with a base price of INR 2 crore. He was sold to the Punjab Kings (PBKS) for INR 26.75 crore, making him the second-most expensive player in IPL auction history.
Recently, Iyer claimed that there was a lack of communication from KKR’s part about the retention, and as a consequence, both parties failed to reach an agreement.
“Certainly, I had a fantastic time winning the championship at KKR. The fan following was outstanding; they were electrifying in the stadium, and I loved every moment I spent there. So obviously, we had a conversation (about retention) straight after the IPL championship. But for a few months, there was a layover and no concrete effort in having a retention talk. I was perplexed about what was happening. So, because of a lack of communication, we came to a situation where we parted ways mutually. And that’s the long and short of it," Iyer was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.
“Yes, obviously disappointed, because when you don’t have a certain line of communication and if you get to know things one week prior to the retention date, then obviously something is lacking over there. So, I had to take a call. Whatever is written is supposed to happen," he added.
However, former India cricketer Aakash Chopra has narrated a different story altogether on this matter, stating that there were discussions between Shreyas Iyer and KKR but neither party was able to find common ground.
"Now you start wondering. Let's look at the past of KKR. You may like or dislike franchises. KKR have tried to maintain their core. Andre Russell or Sunil Narine have always been with KKR. The franchise bought Venkatesh Iyer in the auction when they were not able to retain him. This is a franchise that invests in relationships," Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
"Shreyas Iyer was the captain. He should have been in the original scheme of things. KKR did not speak to him, he has said this in an interview. I can now confirm there were discussions between KKR and Shreyas Iyer. They had a long chat. There was no agreement. That's a separate issue," he added.
Aakash Chopra also alleged that Shreyas Iyer had some apprehensions about where he might end up being during the IPL auction.
"I am not going to spell it out. Shreyas had some apprehensions about how it goes in the auction, ‘if I end up somewhere, then what will happen’. It is interesting what has happened. Sometimes you start thinking, 'karma is real yaar', you never know," Chopra said.
"I can confirm the discussions did take place. However, Shreyas says there were no discussions. There is some discrepancy. I can confirm there were talks. I, too, have my sources," he remarked.