Mumbai: It was with mixed feelings that Kolkata Knight Riders batter Venkatesh Iyer sat down for the post-match interaction with media here on Sunday. Iyer had struck a belligerent century off 49 balls — the second century for KKR in IPL after Brendon McCullum’s 158 not out. But KKR still ended on a losing note as Mumbai Indians easily overhauled their score of 185/6 with five wickets in hand and 14 balls to spare.
Venkatesh became the first batter to score a hundred for Kolkata Knight Riders since Brendon McCullum in 2008, hitting a 51-ball 104 that helped them reach 185/6 in 20 overs.
While KKR had lost N Jagadeeshan (0), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (8) and skipper Nitish Rana (5) cheaply, Venkatesh continued to flourish at the other end, batting fluently and at an outstanding strike rate of 200+. He completed his half-century off 23 balls and raced to his first century in 49 deliveries, hitting six fours and nine sixes.
But what rankled him the most on Sunday was that KKR lost the match despite his best efforts.
“Obviously I am disappointed because this is a team game and we have lost the game. I am extremely disappointed with that fact and my individual preparations will go on, but as a team what we have to do is what I’m gonna think collectively with the team.
But yeah, I’m pleased with how I played, and how I approached my innings today. I’ve always maintained that runs don’t matter to me. It’s my mindset, it’s my approach, and how I look at the game and innings. Really happy about that. But as a team, we’ve got lots to work on and hopefully, we’ll take back a lot of positives,” Iyer said after the match on Sunday.
IPL 2023 is quite crucial for Venkatesh as he is coming back after a lengthy injury and rehab at the National Cricket Academy. Iyer credited the system put in place by the BCCI for taking care of him as he recuperated from the injury.
“IPL is a comeback tournament. I broke my left ankle six months back — the subtalar joint had come out – and it was a freakish accident. But I am fortunate to be under a system where the BCCI takes care of me. Everything was taken care of and I was at the NCA for four to five months. All the doctors and trainers were very cooperative and they helped me come out of this space,” said Iyer.
The 29-year-old from Indore in Madhya Pradesh said the injury layoff period was not only tough physically but also mentally for him.
“(The) Injury does not take a toll on your body just physically, but mentally also, you go through a lot. Post my injury, coming back and playing was something that made me smile. A lot of doctors told me that I would not be able to run as fast as I normally would. I would feel disappointed but I am happy that I am back on the field and doing what I love the most and contributing to the team,” said Venkatesh, who had come in as Impact Player in all three matches in IPL 2023 so far.
