IPL 2022: Kolkata Knight Riders appoint Shreyas Iyer as new captain

Kolkata Knight Riders on Wednesday appointed India batter Shreyas Iyer as their new captain for the upcoming Indian Premier League after having bought him for a whopping Rs 12.25 crore at the recently-concluded mega auction.

Iyer, who had captained Delhi Capitals to their only IPL final back in 2020, was released after the 2021 season and it was an open secret that KKR, who were supposed to replace Eoin Morgan, were in need of a new captain.

"He (Iyer) has impressed one & all as a quality batsman at the highest level & we are confident that he will excel as a leader of Team KKR," KKR CEO Venky Mysore said in a statement.

Iyer said he is looking forward to fulfilling the role.

"I am extremely honoured to have gotten the opportunity to lead a prestigious team like KKR. The IPL as a tournament brings the best players from different countries and cultures together and I look forward to leading this great group of very talented individuals," Iyer said.

"I would like to thank the owners, management and support staff of KKR for giving me the opportunity to lead this team and I am confident that we will find the right synergies to achieve the team's goals."

Head Coach Brendon McCullum said he is excited to have Iyer in the fold.

"I am very excited to have one of India's brightest future leaders in Shreyas Iyer, take the reins at KKR.

"I have enjoyed Shreyas' game and his captaincy skills from afar and now will look forward to working closely with him to drive forward the success and style of play we want at KKR," McCullum said.