Kolkata Knight Riders batter Venkatesh Iyer is having a season to forget, and fans aren¡¯t holding back in their criticism. In KKR¡¯s latest match against Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, Iyer added another low score to the list¡ªjust 7 runs off 5 balls. It was his fifth single-digit score of the season, a stat that has fans even more concerned and frustrated, considering he was bought for a staggering ?23.75 crore, making him the most expensive player in this IPL.
KKR, owned by Shah Rukh Khan, came out firing with a blazing 79-run powerplay, thanks to quick contributions from Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sunil Narine, and Ajinkya Rahane. However, their momentum took a hit with three quick wickets before the 10-over mark. Still, a steady counterattack from youngster Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Rinku Singh, along with a quickfire 17 off 9 balls from Andre Russell, helped them post a competitive 204. The total could¡¯ve been even bigger, but a flurry of wickets in the death overs kept them from fully capitalising.
At a time when nearly every player in the KKR lineup is stepping up and contributing, Venkatesh Iyer¡¯s 7-run outing has left fans seriously frustrated. His continued underperformance has sparked a wave of backlash on social media.
Some fans are calling him the biggest disappointment of the season, while others are openly suggesting he should make way for someone else and take a seat on the bench.
"Disappointed with you, Venkatesh Iyer. You are the weak link on this team. Just see how it was nicely set up. And he destroyed it. Every bit of it," one user wrote.
"Venkatesh Iyer, have some shame & self-respect and pretend you are injured so that the team can replace you & you can earn your 23.75 crore salary shamelessly as well," added another fan.
"Another disappointing innings from Venkatesh Iyer. KKR paid a whopping 23.75 crore, and it seems he's not making use of it. His poor season with the bat continues," a third user lashed out at Iyer.
One person added, "He came in the 8th over. Some Venkatesh Iyer fans can't defend him now, saying he isn't playing at no. 3. Pathetic."
KKR, the defending champions, are having anything but a title-worthy season. Currently sitting at 7th place on the points table, they¡¯ve managed just 3 wins out of 9 matches, losing 6 along the way.