Former Kolkata Knight Riders coach Chandrakant Pandit has shared the reason behind not retaining Shreyas Iyer before the IPL 2025 auction.
He said the decision was not easy and was influenced by team strategy and situation at that time.
Pandit on Iyer’s exit
Pandit explained that letting Iyer go was not a direct choice against the player.
He said sometimes team planning and strategy force such decisions.
He also admitted that as a coach, he felt bad because Iyer was a successful captain who had helped the team win.
What happened to KKR after Iyer left
After Iyer moved to another team, Kolkata Knight Riders struggled to maintain their performance.
KKR performance overview
| Season | Captain | Result |
|---|---|---|
| IPL 2025 | Ajinkya Rahane | 8th place |
| IPL 2026 | — | Bottom of table (early stage) |
KKR could not repeat their previous success and had poor results in both seasons.
Shreyas Iyer’s success with PBKS
On the other hand, Iyer performed well after joining Punjab Kings.
He became captain and worked with coach Ricky Ponting.
PBKS performance
| Season | Result |
|---|---|
| IPL 2025 | Finalists |
| IPL 2026 | Top of table (early stage) |
PBKS reached the final after many years and also started IPL 2026 strongly.
Also See : PSL 2026 Match 36: HYDK vs ISU Preview, Head-to-Head, Pitch Report & Playing XIs
Iyer and Ponting partnership
Iyer and Ponting have worked together before as well.
They were part of Delhi Capitals setup earlier and achieved good results.
| Year | Team | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Delhi Capitals | 3rd place |
| 2020 | Delhi Capitals | 2nd place |
Their combination has again worked well at PBKS.
India team selection situation
Pandit also spoke about Iyer’s absence from India’s T20I team.
He said competition in the Indian team is very high, and many good players miss out.
Key points
- Iyer has not played T20I since December 2023
- He missed the T20 World Cup selection
- Strong competition makes selection difficult
Pandit believes Iyer understands this situation and is working hard to return.
Final thoughts
Pandit said the decision to release Iyer was difficult but part of team planning.
While KKR struggled after his exit, Iyer found success with Punjab Kings.
His performances show that he is still a top player and capable of leading a team.
In cricket, team decisions and player journeys can change quickly, and this case is a clear example of that.
