“‘I Can Contribute to Test Match Victories”: Venkatesh Iyer Backs Himself for Red-Ball Debut for India
Venkatesh Iyer’s last 12 months have been eventful. He played a key role in Kolkata Knight Riders’ IPL 2024 title win, and despite being released by KKR, the franchise re-signed him for INR 23.75 crore in the 2025 auction.
During this time, Iyer was a regular for Madhya Pradesh. Though a return to the Indian team has yet to materialize, the 30-year-old remains hopeful. Ahead of the 2025 IPL season, he was named vice-captain of KKR and expressed confidence in his abilities across all formats.
“I firmly believe that if I have the skills to contribute, I should be able to do so. If I don’t, it would be a regret when I look back. Right now, I’m confident I can contribute to India’s success in Test matches, and I can play in T20Is and ODIs. If I have that capability, there’s no reason not to push myself to give it everything I’ve got,” said Iyer.
Iyer’s last recent appearance for India was in 2022, with two ODIs and nine T20Is to his name. Speaking about the fierce competition in Indian cricket, Iyer highlighted that representing a state team is a significant achievement in the country. He also emphasized that anyone who earns a call-up based on strong domestic performances is likely to also deliver at the international level.
“I consider playing in domestic cricket to be a significant accomplishment in itself. Representing your state, particularly cricket-rich regions like Bengal or Madhya Pradesh is an achievement. When you get the opportunity to represent India, a few setbacks along the way are normal, but if you’re excelling at the domestic level, you’re sure to do well at the international level as well.
“It’s just about having a few standout performances and understanding where I stand in terms of batting, bowling, and fitness. Once I reach that point, I’ll know the call-up is within reach. While I’m not focused on that call-up, I do think about what I need to do if it does happen,” he added.
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