Shreyas Iyer back as KKR captain for IPL 2024

Shreyas Iyer will return as Kolkata Knight Riders captain for IPL 2024 after missing the 2023 season with a back injury. Nitish Rana, KKR's stand-in captain last season, is their vice-captain for IPL 2024.

Iyer was bought by KKR for INR 12.25 crore (approx. USD 1.5 million) ahead of IPL 2022 and led the franchise to a seventh-place finish that season, with six wins and eight defeats. A back injury in April 2023 ruled him out of the IPL and the World Test Championship final that summer. Under Rana's captaincy, Knight Riders finished seventh again with six wins and eight defeats in IPL 2023.

"I believe the last season presented us with several challenges, including my absence due to injury," Iyer said in a statement. "Nitish did a great job not only filling in for me but also with his commendable leadership. I am delighted that KKR has named him vice captain. No doubt it will strengthen the leadership group"

A lot has changed at KKR since Iyer was their captain. Having earlier led the side with Brendon McCullum as coach, he will now be working with Chandrakant Pandit and new team mentor Gautam Gambhir. It was under Gambhir's captaincy that KKR won their only two IPL titles - in 2012 and 2014.

Iyer has previously worked with Pandit in the Mumbai state set-up in his formative years and alongside Gambhir briefly at Delhi Daredevils. Iyer's first stint as an IPL captain came in 2018, when he succeeded Gambhir at Delhi Daredevils midway through the season.

KKR had released 12 players including Lockie Ferguson, Shardul Thakur and Umesh Yadav ahead of the IPL player auction on December 19. They have a purse of INR 32.7 crore to spend.

"It was indeed unfortunate that Shreyas missed IPL 2023 due to injury. We are delighted that he's back and at the helm as captain," KKR CEO Venky Mysore said. "The way he has worked hard to recover from his injury and the form he has displayed is a testament to his character.

"We are also grateful that Nitish had agreed to step into Shreyas's shoes last season and did a great job. There's no doubt Nitish as vice-captain will support Shreyas in every possible way for the benefit of #TeamKKR."