Kolkata Knight Riders head coach Brendon McCullum said Venkatesh Iyer is working hard in the nets to make a strong comeback into the squad for the remainder of the matches in IPL 2022. McCulum said it was frustrating for both KKR and Iyer himself as they had to search for other options in place of the India all-rounder, who had a dream run with the 2-time champions last year.
Iyer was dropped after KKR’s defeat to Delhi Capitals on April 28 due to poor form. The Maharashtra all-rounder who caught the attention of the world with a stunning run in the 2nd half of IPL 2021 in the UAE with 370 runs in just 10 matches, has struggled this season. The left-hander has scored just 132 runs in 9 matches and bowled only 3 overs for the side.
“Yeah, obviously, he did not get as many runs as he would have liked to, Venkatesh. We were sort of forced into a situation where we had to look for other options. That’s obviously disappointing for someone who has represented India in the last 7-8 months on the back of what was a very good IPL last time in the UAE.
“That’s a little bit of frustrating for him as well. He is working hard at the nets, trying to get his form back. That will certainly be a consideration. He is certainly not out of contention for the games to come,” McCullum told the press after KKR were hammered by Lucknow Super Giants by 75 runs on May 7.
Furthermore, McCullum said Venkatesh, who did not feature in KKR’s defeat on Saturday, has a great opportunity to take his game to the next level and put in consistent performances from hereon.
“It’s Venky’s second year. Teams do a little bit more homework, it’s been historically the case in this tournament even in international cricket.
“It’s an opportunity for Venkatesh to work on his game and improve, to come back stronger. He is a real talent, has got a good head on his shoulders. I know he is determined to take that next step and start to perform more regularly,” McCullum added.
