“If Varun can make a comeback, I can also definitely do it" - Venkatesh Iyer and the malleability of life 

Venkatesh Iyer plays a paddle sweep against Shahbaz Ahamad, fetching the ball from way outside off stump. The big left-hander gets an under-edge, and nearly gets played on. But it somehow evades the furniture, and wicketkeeper Heinrich Klaasen, as Iyer runs down the pitch with his arms aloft. KKR win a third IPL title. A clumsy shot to mark the proudest moment of his career.

“I wanted to hit the run cleanly; I am still unhappy that I got an under-edge. But as you said, not a lot of people are fortunate enough to hit the winning run in a major tournament. So I was extremely satisfied that I was able to do it. And to do it with the skipper at the other end, made it even more special. People will say, ‘Both the Iyers finished that match,’” Venkatesh Iyer says in an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda.

It is a microcosm of how the 29-year-old’s life at the top has played out till now – bittersweet. Iyer made his India debut after playing just 10 IPL matches. He aced whatever was asked of him, but was phased out the moment the incumbent Hardik Pandya became available. He was charting out his comeback, amid a solid streak in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, when he fell down a staircase at the team hotel and broke his ankle.

Similarly, for the sleepless nights after the IPL 2021 final, there was also unbridled joy after the IPL 2024 final.

Before the crowning moment, though, there was dazzling strokeplay. Venkatesh Iyer completed his half-century off just 24 balls as KKR made light work of the 114-run target. It’s not easy to negate the pressure of a big game. But the seam-bowling all-rounder opened his account with a boundary, followed by two straight sixes, all against Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

“If I’ll be honest with you, I also thought, ‘I don’t want to take the pressure. Either this game should be over in a flash or I want to be sitting outside.’ I didn’t want anything in between, definitely not playing the whole 20 overs. See it’s easy to do that, right! Even if you play run-a-ball, you will end up finishing the game. But I chose the way that showed how KKR played throughout the tournament. KKR was about entertaining the crowd and that’s what I tried to do,” the Madhya Pradesh lad said.

He would’ve been the toast of the party back at the team hotel. But he was busy celebrating life.

“I have no idea how they celebrated. After coming to the hotel, I didn’t go for that team get-together because I had to leave early since I was getting married two days later [laughs]. A lot of other players also had to leave because of the World Cup. But it showed that it wasn’t a cricket team but a family that won. And I am not wrong in saying we were deserving champions, considering the way we played throughout the tournament. So that was the real celebration – the way we played, the way we spoke to each other, the way we entered and left the ground,” Iyer exclaimed.

To be embraced by your close ones, with thousands more on the other side of the boundary screaming your name wanting to get closer to you -- oh, what a heady feeling it must be!

“My mom absolutely loved it when she met Shah Rukh Khan on the field. She was like, ‘Yeah I don’t care about IPL. It’s a dream come true for me to meet Shah Rukh Khan in person.’ She was mesmerised when Shah Rukh bhai hugged her,” he added.

With an MBA in Finance degree from Indore’s Institute of Management Studies, Venkatesh Iyer’s clarity of mind has always stood out. In a world where people are looking to evade pressure, genius is accepting its inevitability and finding ways to counter it.

His knock in the Qualifier 1, with KKR chasing 160, also started with three boundaries. He reached fifty off 28 deliveries and, once again, saw his team over the line.

“For starters, let’s not take anything away from the quality of the pitches. Secondly, I did not want the team to feel anxious or under pressure. Whoever you are and whichever team you are playing for, the big-match pressure exists. So rather than the team outside biting their nails and thinking about what is going to happen, you are better off going for it quickly. So that, whatever little hope the opposition has, is crushed.

"That’s what I was thinking. When I went out to bat in Qualifier 1 and in the final, I was thinking, ‘Okay, they are already out of the game. Let’s not give them even an inch.’ And in such cases, it’s really important to give the opponents a quick shock and tell them they’re out of the game,” Venkatesh Iyer spoke on his thought process.

You can almost close your eyes and hear Brendon McCullum utter the exact words in the England dressing room. He laughs when told the same. It was under the former New Zealand skipper, that Iyer thrived in his debut IPL season in 2021 and was immediately fast-tracked into the Indian team.

“Higher the risk, more the reward, but there are risks. And I also think T20 cricket is about risk. I would kick myself if I got out defending. I would be okay with hitting a shot and not connecting it. But I don’t want to have any regret like: ‘Had I hit it, it might have gone for a six.’ Failures are a part of the game, and you will fail more than you succeed.

“But again, it’s for you to decide. I’ve always wanted to create an impact on the game; I am not a big fan of huge runs. There might be people who disagree with me. Yes, big runs are important, but so is the impact. A quick 30 in a crucial chase, anchoring the innings when wickets are falling – this is the sort of impact I want to have,” Venkatesh Iyer further elaborated.

This attitude has had quite an impact on crunch games. Only Suresh Raina has more fifty-plus scores in IPL playoffs/knockouts than Iyer’s four.

But as much as the adulation he received in the later stages of the tournament, he also had his eyebrows raised when people questioned him at the start.

“I am actually surprised everyone says I didn’t have a good first half. No one in the team came and told me that I wasn’t doing well. We were all happy because we were winning and, secondly, where I got to bat, I was doing decent,” he stated.

Yes, he might have scored only 89 runs in the first seven matches. But he was also shunted up and down the line-up, going out in the final over against DC, in the 18th over against RR, while not getting a hit against LSG.

Elite athletes are big on process, and not so much on results. Venkatesh Iyer was content with his routine and the way he was batting in the nets.

“The question of me not having a good IPL does not arise. The way I was batting in the nets before the IPL and during the tournament, was the same. I used to work on my basics a lot. I will think I am not doing well when I am not regular in training or at the gym. For the past three years, I have not missed a single training session. I go to the gym almost every day, even if it’s just for activations and to get the feel of the gym,” Venkatesh Iyer noted.

But how does one prepare to bat at all positions?

“Heading into a training session, if you know you will face the new ball, you are like, ‘This is the field I am batting to and this is how I am going to score my runs.’ Once you’ve settled in, you ask for a shuffle and you ask for the spinners to come in and practice for facing spin both in the powerplay and with an open field. In India, we like to end our practice with slogging. That gives you practice for the death overs.

"And that’s how I bowl as well. So once you are able to maneuver your mind in terms of training, tell yourself this is where you’re batting rather than going into the nets and just hitting balls, it then gives you clarity and direction where you’re headed,” he explained..

The results started reflecting the moment he was given more balls to face. After a 23-ball 39 in the match PBKS hunted down a record 262, an unbeaten 26 off 23 in a tricky chase against DC, Iyer was adjudged Player of the Match against MI. He continued his love affair with Wankhede Stadium, scoring 70 off 52 when only one other teammate crossed 15.

“You always feel happy when the chips are down and you perform. When the team needs you to do something and you do it. It’s not the 70 that I got, but the character and attitude that I showed. It could’ve ended on 50 and I might have also gotten a hundred had there been wickets around. But I was extremely satisfied with the way I approached the innings and the way I thought,” Venkatesh Iyer looked back with fondness.

The back-to-back fifties in the playoffs might have made him a cult, but it is the knock against MI that he is likely to think of after waking up in the middle of the night. What does he tell himself when he has to plough a lonely furrow?

“That it probably gives me a chance to be noticed [laughs]. And that’s the beauty of the game – it gives you a chance to be a hero. There will also be occasions when your contribution will go unnoticed. I clearly remember the game in which Rinku hit those five sixes, and even I will stand up and say we won that game because of Rinku.

"There will be situations where the team banks on you to do something special, and it happens. If you get out, it’s not a big deal, because everyone is getting out. But if you are able to find that extra gear and stand up and deliver, there’s nothing more satisfying than that,” he philosophised.

Venkatesh Iyer finished IPL 2024 with 370 runs at an average of 46.25 and a strike rate of 158.80. The only possible blemish was his bowling numbers. After not getting to bowl at all in 2023, he was thrown the ball against DC. But Rishabh Pant smashed him around for 28 runs. And those six deliveries became the only ones he sent down in the entire season.

“I would’ve easily told Shreyas eight to 10 times after that game to give me one more over [chuckles]. As I told you, I was bowling well in the nets. That one over, Rishabh hit me all over the park. And that’s how IPL is; you might get smacked on any given day. I was disappointed I didn’t get to bowl. But such was the composition of our team that we barely could squeeze an over or two. So looking back, I don’t regret it too much,” he said.

Does he see the Impact Player rule limiting the role of all-rounders?

“I am no one to complain against the rule. Because back in 2023, it was the Impact Player rule that helped me secure my spot in the playing XI despite carrying an injury. I feel it is an extremely tactical move but, to be honest, it’s not hampering all-rounders. If you really have the skill, you will bowl. Look at Hardik Pandya, look at Andre Russell, look at Narine – no one has stopped them from bowling their quota. I think it compels all-rounders to better their skills; you got to be a perfect all-rounder to bowl more,” Venkatesh Iyer opined.

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Cashing in on Lancashire

Venkatesh Iyer celebrates after his match-winning efforts with the ball against Worcester

Venkatesh Iyer didn’t have to wait long to be a hero with the ball, this time for Lancashire. He was tasked with defending 16 runs in the last over against Worcester. The first three balls accounted for 11 runs, bringing the equation down to five runs off the last three.

“I was bowling really well, but one went for a leg-bye, one went through the batter’s legs – both were amazing deliveries. As soon as that happened, I knew there was nothing to lose and I wanted to go for a wicket. And I convinced the captain to give me the field for a short ball. And for the last ball, I knew he’d be ready for a quick yorker or another bouncer, because he just had to survive. So I tried to bluff him by bowling a cutter, and it worked,” Venkatesh Iyer told Sportskeeda.

It was again a classic case of working behind the scenes and reaping its benefits. Iyer bowled a lot to Josh Bohannon in the nets and the Lancashire captain was impressed with his death-bowling skills.

“He’s a very good captain, an extremely talented player – I am still wondering why he hasn’t played for England yet. And that’s the beauty of country cricket; you get to meet so many talented players, players with Indian backgrounds,” he added.

Venkatesh Iyer spent five weeks with Red Rose. There weren’t many performances to write home about, but the experience of staying in a new country and being around new faces is bound to help him grow.

“I always wanted to add county cricket to my resume. Not everyone can do that, so thanks to Salty [Phil Salt] for recommending my name. Obviously, I couldn’t score a lot of runs. But England was new to me, not just the opposite team but also the weather.

"I feel every professional cricketer should take the England experience at least once. It’s a good lesson to go to a different country, stay on your own – thankfully my wife was there with me – and still be able to manage your game, travel to different places with the weather being a challenge,” he noted.

It was indeed an experience like no other. Imagine arriving for training and seeing Andrew Flintoff dropping off his son, with whom you’re then spending the rest of the day.

“He’s an extremely talented cricketer. And Freddie even thanked me for taking care of his boy. I spent a lot of time with him. We had good partnerships and, even in the nets, we would bat in pairs. He’s going to be a star in the future, that’s for sure. He’s just 16, and the way he times the ball, the confidence he carries to the field, I think he’s extremely mature for his age,” Venkatesh Iyer claimed.

He got to pick the brains of one of the greatest all-rounders the game has seen.

“He’s a very down-to-earth guy. The Hundred was going on at that time, but he would come to drop Rocky whenever we used to travel. I had good conversations with him, although mostly on cricket. Very friendly guy. In fact, every cricketer in England is very friendly. It was a good experience going there and knowing what these guys think about the game and how they approach it,” he added.

Iyer scored 68 runs and picked up five wickets from five matches in the One-Day Cup. He also played three rounds of the County Championship, tallying 116 runs with a best of 35.

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"I am really close to making a comeback" - Venkatesh Iyer

Venkatesh Iyer has played 9 T20Is and 2 ODIs so far

When Sportskeeda caught up with Venkatesh Iyer last year, the conversation inevitably drifted towards making it back into the Indian team. It had been more than a year since his T20I average and strike rate were stuck at 33.25 and 162.19, respectively. Add five wickets to that.

Among the many things that Iyer is, he has always been honest with himself. Having recently returned from an ankle injury, he candidly admitted that he wasn’t ready to represent India back then. His exact words were:

“Once I can look in the mirror and say, ‘I am ready to represent India’, only then I will think about it.”

November 17 marked two years of his India debut. He is operating at full fitness: check. He has always been scoring runs: check. But he is also aware of the box he still needs to tick.

“I think I am ready. But to be honest, I have to be realistic about it. I haven’t been in the reckoning because, somewhere down the line, I need to push more. I need to pick up more wickets, I need to create a bigger impact. But I am getting there. I am really close to making a comeback. And it is really pleasing to see good competition in the team. What that does is give me a lot of hope,” Venkatesh Iyer continued in the 30-minute-long chat with Sportskeeda.

After all, he was roped in as Pandya’s replacement, especially when the latter wasn’t bowling. India have been blessed with Nitish Kumar Reddy, who came through the ranks rather quickly to become Test cap No. 315 in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Does this cut-throat competition bother Iyer? Not at all. It only pushes him to go that extra mile. He knows the exact things to seek out and feel good about himself even in adversity.

“My game is entirely different, my skills are different, what I bring to the table is different from what he does. Sometimes, even as all-rounders, you are different from one another – it’s not just about being pace-bowling all-rounders but how you create an impact. But I really hope that he gets a good run and does well.

"But that doesn’t mean that I cannot fit into the team. If I keep doing well, having multiple all-rounders will be an asset for the team. So I am not looking at it that way. But yes, it shows me what I need to achieve as an all-rounder. And in that sense, I feel this domestic season is going to be extremely crucial for me,” Venkatesh Iyer elucidated.

When he says his skill set is different, he means he is doing things in addition to already doing what his competitors have been up to. That’s why he opened the bowling for Madhya Pradesh in four of the five matches in 2023/24 SMAT.

“More than showing the world that I can bowl with the new ball, it’s also about giving the team an extra option. It thus shows that you are versatile as a cricketer. Doing all skills is not versatility, but doing them in different situations and taking up different roles is the hallmark of being versatile.

"And I feel I have done justice to that. Not just domestic but even in the IPL, I have batted all over the place. And I am happy that I was the floater. It is not an easy role to do, but the team management trusted me with it. And I am happy that the victory of the team shows that things went well,” he added.

When you think of Venkatesh Iyer, you think of 'Impact Player'. Not the rule, but someone who prides himself on turning a match around with any small or big impact. If you speak to him, he will have ‘I wanted to create an impact’ in most of his answers. A strike rate of 79 in the last Ranji Trophy season is a testament.

“See it’s a game of who scores more runs, right? So I always want to score runs. I have not been a believer in spending a lot of time at the crease. Some players will do that, but a team also needs players who will try to dominate the opposition by scoring quick runs. Credit has to be given to Chandu sir because he has to give them confidence to play their natural game. So the credit has to go to him for constantly telling me, ‘Yes you play your game, but be a little smart about it,’” he mentioned.

His two recent knocks must have made Chandrakant Pandit proud. His highest first-class score of 174 against Bihar came off just 176 balls. In the next match versus Bengal, chasing 338 in the fourth innings, he dug deep for a patient 53.

He is still the shell that set the United Arab Emirates ablaze in 2021. But he is becoming more of a rocket that lights up the sky at his own will.

“When I played my first game in the IPL in 2021, my thought process was the same. I’ve always maintained that my wicket is the most important wicket. That the team will lose if I get out, or if the team has won, that’s because of me. So that attitude is still there. The only thing that has changed is I’ve now started to think a lot about the team. Earlier, I was like I will bat like this.

"Now, if I suppose I am fielding, I think about what changes should happen, who should bowl. I feel more leadership has come into my thought process; I now feel that the team is mine and I have all the right to give suggestions. And credit to KKR management for also being open to those suggestions,” Venkatesh Iyer stated.

You can’t get a KKR player to discuss IPL and not mention mentor Gautam Gambhir.

“Results speak for themselves. It was superb the way he carried the team. For him, victory is extremely important. He is extremely intense and ferocious on the field, but the opposite of that off it. He’s so friendly and jovial. And he gives you that elder brother vibe – that proper bhai wala vibe that, ‘I am there for you.’

"When the tournament began, he came and told me, ‘It’s been three-four years in the team. We are now looking at you like a leader. Whatever you feel, any suggestion you have, you can give it anytime.’ So if a coach or mentor gives you that assurance, you are bound to give your best. Interacting with GG sir and working with him, was truly an amazing experience. And I am really excited that he’s now with Team India,” he said.

Did someone say Team India? Even though we are conditioned to keep our expectations and emotions in check, how does it feel every time a squad is announced?

“A lot of disappointment. But again, what can I do? It’s not in my hands. The only thing in my hands is to keep getting better at what I do, keep making my body better, and keep making my skills better. Yeah, I do get disappointed, but I am thankful to god for at least giving me the opportunity to keep playing cricket. If I’m not playing for India, I’ll play for MP. If I don’t play for MP, I’ll play for Indore. If not for Indore, I’ll play for my club. And then I’ll play in the IPL.

"But that disappointment has to be there, to give that extra passion to do better and see your name on that list. So yeah, I was disappointed but, at the same time, I am so happy that Varun [Chakaravarthy] made it back into the team. It gave me so much happiness because of how hard that guy has worked. And it also gave me confidence that if Varun can make a comeback, I can also definitely do it,” he concluded.

Venkatesh Iyer hasn’t been retained by KKR ahead of the IPL 2025 auction. But it’s also not the first time he’s been left out in the cold. He has grown into becoming malleable - a quality possessed by some of the finest things in the world. He’d know best that there’s no credit without debit. As he himself says, he played for India out of nowhere. He would know how to reach somewhere.

As his hero, Rajinikanth once said: “Naan eppo varuven, epdi varuvennu yarukkum theriyathu. Aana vara vendiya nerathula correct ah varuven [No one can tell when or how I'll arrive -- but I always do, when the time is right].”

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