KKR took wrong decision to let Shreyas Iyer and Phil Salt leave, says Anil Kumble

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) “took the wrong decision” by letting Shreyas Iyer and Phil Salt leave after their title-winning campaign in 2024, and unless the three-time IPL champions understand the importance of retaining key players, they cannot be considered serious title contenders, cautioned the legendary Anil Kumble.

Iyer exited KKR to join Punjab Kings, whom he led to their first appearance in the IPL final in nearly a decade in the last edition, while Phil Salt — another vital cog in KKR’s success in 2024 — moved to Royal Challengers Bengaluru, where he played an impactful role in the franchise’s maiden title win last year.

“Two years ago, KKR won the IPL and lifted their third trophy. Two important cogs in that wheel were Shreyas Iyer and Phil Salt. Both played crucial roles in helping them win but KKR let both of them go,” Kumble noted in a JioHotstar release.

“There is no consistency from them in terms of player retention. KKR took the wrong decision by letting Shreyas Iyer and Phil Salt leave (and) that has left them without an IPL-winning captain.” Kumble noted that even though KKR have an experienced campaigner in Ajinkya Rahane as their skipper, he has not yet won the IPL as a captain. “Yes, Ajinkya Rahane is an experienced campaigner. He has led Mumbai in domestic cricket and Rajasthan Royals in the IPL. But he has not lifted the IPL title as (a) captain (yet),” Kumble said.

“Having a skipper who has won the trophy gives you an advantage. KKR let go of that advantage. They need to learn how to keep hold of their key players. Otherwise, they will keep struggling and cannot be considered favourites to win the trophy,” the legendary spinner added.

The former India captain heaped praise on Iyer’s leadership qualities for guiding the Punjab Kings into the IPL final last year.

“Shreyas Iyer is certainly an underrated skipper. It is not easy to win a trophy with one franchise and then go to another. There is a different management, atmosphere and a team. The pressure is also different,” he noted.

“...the new franchise he joined had not played in the final in the last 10 years and in just his first season with the Punjab Kings, he took them to the final.

I was not just impressed by his captaincy, but (also with) the way he led the team from the front.”

“There are some players who have to prove themselves every time. Shreyas is like that. Even after performing, questions still come up. I think he is underrated, but is an exceptional leader.”

Meanwhile, former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara termed Sunrisers Hyderabad’s opening pair of Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head as “more destructive” than the former Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s first-wicket pairing of Virat Kohli and Chris Gayle.

“In the last couple of seasons, what we have seen from the openers of Sunrisers Hyderabad, Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head, I can certainly say they are one of the most destructive opening pairs in IPL history,” Pujara said. “Both are batters who know how to attack from ball one. SRH has consistently crossed the 250-run mark in the last couple of seasons thanks to them.

No other team in the IPL has done that consistently.

“When we talk about aggressive opening pairs in the IPL, the pair of Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli comes to mind. But this duo of Head and Abhishek is even more destructive. No bowler wants to run in and bowl against an opening pair like Abhishek and Head,” he added.

However, Pujara said SRH, who have remained a formidable side, given their strength across departments, will have to improve their away record.

“SRH are a very destructive side and score a lot of runs when they play at home in Hyderabad. But away from home, their record is very poor. When they play away matches, they fail to maintain their destructive batting intent. That is because all the teams know that SRH rely on their batting power to set big totals,” he said.