India batter Shreyas Iyer is excited to lead the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season.

During the IPL 2022 mega-auction last month, KKR had roped in Iyer for a hefty sum of INR 12.25 crore and he was also appointed captain of the franchise.

With the 15th edition of IPL due to begin on March 26, Shreyas said he would be entering the captaincy job with more maturity and experience.

Notably, Iyer has the experience of captaining the IPL side Delhi Capitals. He produced impressive results for DC, leading the franchise to playoffs in 2019 and then followed it with their maiden appearance in the final in 2020.

"I would be coming in with a much different mindset now. I'm now more mature and experienced in terms of my decision making and captaincy skills. Really waiting eagerly to work with every individual in the team, and build that synergy which could really help the team perform at a different level. I'm just going to love the responsibility, and I thrive under pressure," said Iyer to KKR's official website on Monday (February 28).

Shreyas Iyer will be KKR’s sixth captain after Sourav Ganguly (2008-10), Brendon McCullum (2009), Gautam Gambhir (2011-17), Dinesh Karthik (2018-20) and Eoin Morgan (2020-21).

"You know, for me to be part of the KKR family is an enormous feeling. I want to really appreciate the work which has been done by all the great players in the past and I would like to follow the same footsteps, which they have created for KKR. Personally, I feel that I'm a player's captain and I want to create an atmosphere where all of us are thinking towards one goal, which is winning," stated Iyer about his captaincy vision with KKR.

Asked if he was following the IPL 2022 mega-auction, Shreyas remarked, "I was watching the auction and KKR went for me right from the start. There were some other big franchises as well coming along and I remember the battle was going on. All of our (India) team members were sitting together and watching the Auction on TV."

"My heart was pumping, and I wasn't able to control my emotions. I was trying to act relaxed, but you know, andar hi andar se (from inside), I was feeling a little nervous. Eventually KKR got me, that feeling was amazing. I'm really proud, considering the rich history and to be coming into the KKR setup."

Shreyas Iyer concluded by saying that he has had some interactions with head coach Brendon McCullum.

"Brendon McCullum as a coach I feel is very aggressive. Even when you saw him playing for his country (New Zealand), he was someone who was very aggressive and he is kind of a risk taker."

"And I absolutely love that. Obviously I've had few interactions with him after the auction. He's got that calm demeanor and I'm really looking forward to working with him, and to have some very successful seasons for KKR over the years."

(With IANS inputs)