The fact that the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) paid 23.75 crore to get Venkatesh Iyer for the 2025 IPL demonstrates how highly the administration regards him as a player. However, KKR’s management and supporters have received a nasty shock because now they have to face the problem of replacement for Venkatesh Iyer.
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What Happened to Venkatesh？
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On the first day of the Ranji Trophy when Madhya Pradesh was facing Kerala, Venkatesh hurt his ankle while batting. His fans were concerned when he left the field in great discomfort. This has led to doubts regarding the participation of Venkatesh Iyer in IPL 2025. Now, KKR management will have to find a replacement for Venkatesh Iyer.
Top 3 Possible Replacements for Venkatesh Iyer
Finding a KKR replacement won’t be easy, especially a replacement for Venkatesh Iyer in IPL 2025. KKR would undoubtedly have trouble finding a replacement for Venkatesh Iyer in IPL 2025. Here are the three possible IPL 2025 substitutes for Venkatesh.
Rishi Dhawan
A seam-bowling all-rounder, Rishi Dhawan played for the Punjab Kings (PBKS) during the previous cycle. Despite going unsold in the 2025 IPL mega auction, he is a seasoned cricket player with prior Indian experience who might be a useful addition to KKR.
The Himachal cricket player has amassed 1740 runs at an average of 30 in 135 Twenty20 matches. In addition to his 25 IPL wickets, he has 118 with the ball. KKR may also benefit from his expertise in delivering in various settings in India, and they can strategically deploy him anytime they need him.
Shardul Thakur
Thakur can be a good KKR replacement for Venky. Surprisingly, the renowned cricket player did not sell in the IPL 2025 super auction. After competing for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) last year for 4 crore, the all-rounder failed to find a buyer for his base fee of 2 crore. However, he has a ton of experience and has previously played for KKR, making him a solid replacement for the team.
Although his bowling is more effective than his batting, the Mumbai cricket player is a seam-bowling all-rounder who can perform well in both areas. Shardul Thakur, who has participated in 95 IPL games since 2015, played for KKR in the 2023 tournament for 10.75 crore. In addition to having one fifty in the league, he has 94 wickets. Shardul has an average of 23 in the shortest format at the international level and has taken 33 wickets for India in 25 Twenty20 Internationals. Additionally, the international star recently performed well in SMAT 2024, taking 15 wickets in nine games. With his expertise and achievements at his disposal, Thakur is a good replacement for Venkatesh Iyer in IPL 2025.
Ayush Mhatre
Replacing Venkatesh Iyer in IPL 2025 won’t be easy, but this young budding cricket, Ayush Mhatre has been making a good audition lately. Mhatre has recently made an impression on everyone, both in senior domestic cricket and at the U19 level. All of these performances followed the IPL 2025 auction, and KKR has a chance to acquire the young player if Venkateshis ruled out. Since the defending champions lack a good Indian opener, he can fill in as a right-handed opening batsman.
In seven innings of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Mhatre amassed 458 runs with a strike rate of 135.50 and an average of 65.43. Additionally, he hit 176 runs at an average of 44 in five innings during the U19 Asia Cup in the T20 format, demonstrating the young player’s quality and KKR’s ability to develop him for the future. He makes a good case for the KKR replacement initiative.
Venkatesh Iyer’s IPL Status
Venkatesh made a spectacular debut during the 2021 IPL, piling up 370 runs at an average of 41.11 in just 10 games. Despite having a lacklustre 2022 season, he recovered in 2023 and 2024 with steady performances, scoring 404 runs in 2023 and 370 runs in 2024. With one century and eleven fifties during his IPL career, he has demonstrated his composure in high-pressure situations. Over the years, he has given KKR numerous game-winning performances, and his versatility earned him the third-highest price in the IPL 2025 auction.
| Year | Runs (Total) | 50/100 | Wickets |
| 2021 | 370 | 4 (50s) | 3 |
| 2022 | 182 | 1(50) | 0 |
| 2023 | 404 | 1 (100) , 2(50s) | 0 |
| 2024 | 370 | 4(50s) | 0 |
Conclusion
KKR has a huge task at hand as they ought to be prepared to find a replacement for Venkatesh Iyer if he does not recover soon. Rishi Dhawan, Shardul Thakur and Ayush Mhater are potential candidates who can replace Venkatesh Iyer in IPL 2025. However, what fans are most eagerly hoping for right now is to see him recover his health before the match and shine once again on the IPL stage.
