New Delhi, April 7 : Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) vice-captain Venkatesh Iyer admitted that indeed pressure comes with the hefty price tag and said the financial aspect is beyond his control, but his performance on the field is something he can influence. He added that regardless of whether he is paid Rs 23 crore or Rs 20 lakh, his efforts in contributing to the team remain constant.

KKR released Venkatesh after their IPL-winning run last year but splurged a jaw-dropping Rs 23.75 crores to bring back the all-rounder into their fold, winning a fierce bidding war at the mega auction last year.

"To be honest, I'm not ignoring it completely - I'm a practical person. I know there's pressure, and there's a lot of talk around the price and all those things. But at the same time, that's not in my control. What is in my control is the effort I put in to help the team win, and that remains constant - whether I'm paid Rs 23 crore or Rs 20 lakh.

"Once the tournament begins, that's my only focus: to contribute in every way I can - not just with the bat and ball, but in my new leadership role as well. Everything else will take care of itself," said Venkatesh on the JioHotstar show 'Gen Bold'.

Ahead of the IPL 2025, KKR announced Ajinkya Rahane as captain and Venkatesh as his deputy. Reflecting on his leadership style and how he supports his captain, both on and off the field, the all-rounder said, "I think every captain has a different approach to the game. We have someone like Ajinkya in our team, who I feel is very composed and calm under pressure. My style of captaincy is a bit more dynamic, and that's the beauty of cricket - people with different skill sets and mindsets coming together to contribute to the team.

"Ajinkya has already taken the initiative to speak to players, and I've been in regular conversation with him regarding the team - not just on-field strategies but also life off the field. I'm really happy to be playing under him.'

He also spoke about the changing team environment with DJ Bravo coming in as a mentor after Gautam Gambhir's departure and stated, "DJ Bravo brings a lot of experience. As the most capped T20 player in the world, he obviously has a wealth of knowledge. Behind that fun element and enjoyment, he also has a tactically very smart brain. So, I think it's on us to make use of it. Obviously, as players, we want to learn a lot from coaches. If you want to grow in your career, you have to learn from them."

"Gautam sir also had a very intense phase, but he was tactically very strong and kept the atmosphere of the dressing room very comfortable. The same comfortable atmosphere is still there, and I am very excited to play under DJ," he added.

Venkatesh made his IPL debut with KKR in 2021 and has accumulated important runs for the franchise. During KKR's victorious IPL campaign last season, he scored 370 runs, including four half-centuries.

Sharing about his journey through the years of IPL, he said, "One thing I've learned from playing IPL is to take it one game at a time - or rather, one moment at a time. Staying in the present is extremely important. I've learned this the hard way, and while it might sound simple, it's really tough to practice."

"Over the years, I've developed the mindset that only today's moment, today's match, and today's practice matter. I try not to think about what's already happened or what's ahead," he concluded.

/IANS