"I was trying to act relaxed" - Shreyas Iyer on watching IPL 2022 auction live

Ace batter Shreyas Iyer will don the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) jersey in IPL 2022. After being released by Delhi Capitals, the Knight Riders roped in the talented batsman for a whopping ₹12.5 crores at the auction.

Iyer was one of the star attractions heading into the mega-auction that took place earlier this month. As expected, he triggered a bidding war among the franchises. Iyer's former franchise Delhi Capitals were in the race to regain his services but KKR left everyone behind to sign the India international.

The 27-year-old, who has been in spectacular form with the bat in recent times, admitted that he was nervous during the auction. Speaking on kkr.in, Shreyas Iyer stated:

"Yes, 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. We, all of our (India) team members were sitting together and watching the auction on TV."

He added:

"My heart was pumping and I wasn't able to control my emotions. I was trying to act relaxed, but you know, 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 is expected to add some stability to KKR's middle-order, something the side have lacked in the past couple of seasons. With Iyer at the helm, the franchise will be keen to win their third title in the upcoming season.

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"I'm now more mature and experienced in terms of my decision making" - Shreyas Iyer

The cricketer from Mumbai was appointed by KKR as their captain for the upcoming season. The position was vacant after the franchise parted ways with Eoin Morgan after IPL 2021.

Iyer revealed that his goal will be to create an environment where everyone will work towards a single goal of winning the title. He said:

"I will 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."

Iyer added:

"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."

Shreyas Iyer has led the Delhi Capitals in the past after Gautam Gambhir relinquished his leadership duties midway through IPL 2018.

Overall, he captained the Capitals in 41 matches, winning 21 of those with a win percentage of 53.65.