|| CF DESK ||

Shreyas Iyer is set to reclaim the captaincy for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the upcoming IPL 2024, marking his return after missing the entire 2023 season due to a back injury.

Nitish Rana, who served as the stand-in captain last season, has been appointed as the vice-captain for the season.

In the IPL 2022, Iyer was roped in by KKR for a hefty sum of INR 12.25 crore (approximately USD 1.5 million). He led the team to a seventh-place finish, securing six wins and facing eight defeats.

Unfortunately, a back injury in April 2023 sidelined him for both the IPL and the World Test Championship final that took place during the summer.

During Iyer's absence, Nitish Rana did the captaincy for KKR in IPL 2023. However, the team experienced a similar seventh-place finish, securing six victories and enduring eight defeats in the tournament.

With Iyer's return as captain and Rana as vice-captain, the Knight Riders aim to make a strong comeback in the upcoming season.

"I believe the last season presented us with several challenges, including my absence due to injury. 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" Iyer said in a statement.

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.