Ahead of the IPL 2025 season, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer, who was signed for Rs 23.75 crore in the mega-auction last November, acknowledged the pressure and expectations associated with his whopping price tag.

Venkatesh, 30, is the third-highest-paid player in IPL history. He has been named KKR’s vice-captain, with Ajinkya Rahane set to lead the defending champions.

During a press conference, Iyer, Rahane, mentor Dwayne Bravo and head coach Chandrakant Pandit, gave a sneak peek into KKR’s outlook and preparation for the upcoming season.

Iyer shared his excitement about collaborating with Bravo, highlighting the latter’s extensive T20 experience.

"He's been the most successful T20 player in history, so he brings a lot of experience to the table," the KKR deputy said. "Nothing can beat experience. He's played so many games; he's won so many games for West Indies and the franchises that he's played for."

He also spoke about the expectations tied to his price tag, adding, "It exists. You can't ignore it altogether, but when the IPL starts, it really doesn't matter. You're a part of a playing XI, a part of a team that is going out there to win."

Bravo discussed his intention to maintain the successful strategies from the previous season and expressed his admiration for the team owner Shah Rukh Khan.

"It would be disrespectful of me to try to change some of the good things from the last season. It's good to have a boss like Shah Rukh who is definitely really invested in the game... That energy and that vibe, I'm going to try to bring that here as well," he stated.

Pandit opened up on the team's preparations and the confidence boost from players' international experiences.

"Every match is different, and we have been preparing since the Mumbai camp and now we have started the camp here as well... we are going to play as hard as possible. The advantage that we're going to get is the confidence level that they're going to carry from the international level to KKR," the head coach said.

"It's an honour for me to lead this wonderful franchise. I'm really thankful and grateful to the management for giving me this opportunity," said skipper Rahane. "For me it is always about keeping it simple... We will obviously give our best this season."

Commenting on his batting position, Rahane added, "I have always played wherever the team wanted me to play. Team thinking has always come first."

"It's good to be back at Eden Gardens and we always love to play at Eden Gardens. The atmosphere, the energy, the passion which all the fans have," he concluded.