Venkatesh Iyer (ANI Photo) BENGALURU: Beneath Venkatesh Iyer’s calm, composed exterior is a clear-minded cricketer, confident in his craft and steadfast in his team approach.Over five seasons, Iyer featured in 62 matches for Kolkata Knight Riders before being released and picked up by Royal Challengers Bengaluru in a mini-auction for Rs 7 crore – Rs 16.75 crore less than his previous price. This move also brought about a shift in role. A regular for KKR, the all-rounder featured in just one match in RCB’s first six matches of the season and spent most of the time on the sidelines.
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Jitesh Sharma reveals RCB’s batting mindset Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!Even though it is an unfamiliar situation, Iyer has taken it in his stride.“It definitely plays on my mind. I’m not used to sitting but that’s okay. This is a professional sport. As someone who puts the team above everything else, it’s my duty to respect the environment,” Iyer said during an interaction with select media on Wednesday.He attributes his limited opportunities to a balanced lineup: “We’re defending champions. So messing around with a lineup that won you a championship isn’t always the smartest move. So as someone who came into the team, it’s my responsibility to first understand the dynamics of the team and know what role I can play,” the southpaw added.According to Iyer, the transition was made easier by the clarity offered by the coaching staff.“The credit goes to Mo (Bobat), Andy (Flower) and DK (Dinesh Karthik). They were amazing when it came to talking about what my role was in the team. They gave me absolute clarity. And just because I’m sitting out doesn’t mean I’m not part of their plans. It’s definitely a matter of when, not if,” said the 31-year-old.However, staying mentally prepared is a real challenge.“To be honest, it’s difficult. It’s something you can’t prepare for. But I’m a practical person, I know how things work. When I look at the team, I know there’s a real chance I’ll be benched. It’s extremely important to stay motivated because you can easily become desperate. You can easily lose your work ethic,” he said.“I train my mind in such a way that I will play every match,” Iyer added.CONNECTION OF KKRWhen KKR dropped him, Iyer admitted he was injured but believes the team dynamic was the reason.“I felt bad but there was amazing communication between Abhishek Nayar (then KKR coach) and me. He wanted to release me and told me what the team required and you can get anything out of me as long as it is good for the team,” Iyer said.ROMANTIC RED BALL Amid the glitz of the IPL, one item that Iyer ensures is always in the kit bag is the red ball. The medium pacer has appeared in 34 first-class matches, bowled over 220 overs and picked up 20 wickets, but believes he has more to offer in the longer format.Iyer, who was not part of the Madhya Pradesh team when they last won the Ranji Trophy in 2021-22, is keen to improve his skills with the red ball.“One thing I really feel I haven’t touched, and I have the ability to do that, is my red-ball bowling. I believe I can contribute a lot with my red-ball. So I make it a point, whichever team I go to, I try to identify someone who has played a lot of red-ball cricket. I had Mitchell Starc (in KKR) last year. Josh red-ball bowling.”With the Impact Player rule limiting his bowling options in the IPL, Iyer has come to terms with his role.“I know I won’t bowl four overs. If I get two overs, it will be a lucky day for me,” he admitted.But it’s a red cherry that he wants to prove, and that desire is linked to the team’s dream.“I have talks with Hazlewood about how to improve my red-ball bowling because I want to come home and win the Ranji Trophy again for Madhya Pradesh. I know I can do it with the ball in my hand. So every year when I turn up (for the IPL), I have the red ball in my bag. I make it a point to do some fast bowling tests with the legendary bowler.”For now, Iyer continues to wait, watch and work for the moment when his opportunity comes.
