First-class promotion

Venkatesh Iyer (left) with MP head coach Chandrakant Pandit

Venkatesh Iyer has become the Kolkata Knight Riders' star batter in the UAE leg of IPL-14, having played two match-winning knocks in two outings.

Iyer, 26, who smashed an unbeaten 27-ball 41 in his team's nine-wicket win against the Royal Challengers Bangalore recently, followed it up with a 30-ball 53 in KKR's seven-wicket win over defending champions Mumbai Indians on Thursday.

Interestingly, there is a Mumbai connection to Iyer's success story. Iyer wasn't always an opener and used to bat at No. 6 or 7 for Madhya Pradesh in first-class cricket since 2015. However, earlier this year, he was promoted up the order by MP coach Chandrakant Pandit, a former Mumbai and India wicketkeeper.

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KKR's Venkatesh Iyer slams one v MI at Abu Dhabi on Thursday. Pic/BCCI; IPL

Pandit, who felt that Iyer's ability was being restricted because he was not batting at the top, asked the attacking left-hander to open the innings in their Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy match against Goa in January 2021. Pandit was spot-on and Iyer scored an unbeaten 87 off 52 balls. Furthermore, Iyer finished as MP's top run-getter, scoring 227 in five games. Pandit clearly recalls their chat on the morning of the game against Goa. "I wanted him [Iyer] to play up the order, but when I asked him on that morning about opening the innings against Goa, he was hesitant. He seemed puzzled and uncertain because he had never faced the new ball before," Pandit told mid-day from Indore on Friday.

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Gaining confidence

"He was a bit concerned and afraid about his position in the team, but I told him not to worry about that. I assured him that I wouldn't mind if he got out early or for that matter, even if he got a duck a few times. I told him that opening the innings would ensure he gets the full 120 balls to play and that's a chance to capitalise on and make a big score. So, with that confidence, he batted in that match and scored a fine half-century," added Pandit.

Thereafter, in March, Iyer repeated his good show in the Vijay Hazare Trophy where he collected 273 runs from just five matches, including a fine 198 against Punjab.

Pandit's advice

And, now that his ward has succeeded in the IPL, there is some more advice for Iyer from the former Mumbai and Vidarbha Ranji Trophy-winning coach. "He is a good student of the game and has a strong will power too. He should back his ability and try to be a consistent performer. He should try to finish the innings by remaining not out," said Pandit.

Meanwhile, Iyer's father Rajasekaran, 66, has credited mum, Usha, for helping her son balance his studies and cricket. Iyer has completed his MBA in Finance and also preliminary examinations in Chartered Accountancy.

"Venkatesh has always given equal importance to both, his studies as well as sports, and that's all because of my wife. She used to teach him every small thing, like how he should behave, how he should conduct himself at his classes and how to be respectful to others. Whatever good things you observe in Venkatesh, it's all because of his mother," said Rajasekaran.

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