In the next Indian Premier League, star batsman Shreyas Iyer of India is slated to return as captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Due to a back problem, the right-handed hitter was unable to play in the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) or the World Test Championship (WTC) 2021–23 final. But he returned to action at the just-finished ICC Cricket World Cup, finishing with 530 runs to rank third among Indian scorers. In the 2023 Indian Premier League, Nitish Rana was chosen as the two-time winners’ acting captain in lieu of Iyer. In the eagerly anticipated 17th season of the lucrative league, he will now be Iyer’s deputy.
“Shreyas’ injury kept him out of the IPL in 2023, which was regrettable. His return to the helm as captain is well welcomed. The way he has worked hard to recover from his injury and the form he has displayed, according to KKR CEO Venky Mysore, is a testament to his character.
We are also appreciative of Nitish Rana willingness to fill Shreyas’s shoes during the previous season, in which he performed well.
Without a doubt, Nitish, in his role as Vice Captain, would help Shreyas in any manner possible for the good of TeamKKR,” he continued.
Quick Update 👇#IPL2024 @VenkyMysore @ShreyasIyer15 @NitishRana_27 pic.twitter.com/JRBJ5aEHRO
— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) December 14, 2023
Conversely, Shreyas Iyer praised Nitish Rana profusely for assuming the captaincy in 2023 and conveyed his happiness upon the latter’s appointment as vice captain.
“I think we had a number of difficulties during the previous season, one of which was my injury-related absence. In addition to stepping in for me, Nitish did a fantastic job leading by example. That KKR has chosen him as Vice Captain makes me very happy. It will undoubtedly enhance the leadership group, Iyer added.
The Shahrukh Khan-owned team didn’t make it to the playoffs, although they had a respectable season the year before. They put forth a remarkable performance against the Hardik Pandya-captained Gujarat Titans, who were the 2022 champions at the time. Rinku Singh (48* off 21), KKR’s middle-order batsman, surprised the cricketing world with his attack in the last over and helped his team rescue a victory over the Titans.