Sports
I’ve Faced Years of Online Hate, Says RCB’s Venkatesh Iyer After KKR’s Decision to Release Shubman Gill
Venkatesh Iyer said he has endured a long‑standing online backlash from Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) supporters after the franchise retained him and released Shubman Gill before the 2022 IPL season. The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter explained that the criticism has persisted, with fans still targeting him whenever Gill scores a century. Gill was released by KKR ahead of 2022 and was later drafted by the new Gujarat Titans (GT) for Rs 8 crore, joining Hardik Pandya and Rashid Khan. In a podcast with Aakash Chopra, Iyer recalled how KKR fans repeatedly referenced the franchise’s decision, turning him into a target of social media trolling. "I have been subject to a lot of hate for a long time. Even till date, if Shubman is getting a hundred; you go to a KKR page, people would be commenting, ‘in search of gold, we lost a diamond’ and all of that stuff," he said. The 31‑year‑old also discussed his situation ahead of the IPL 2026 auction, after KKR decided to release him. He said he had even approached franchise co‑owner Shah Rukh Khan in hopes of a change. "I had kept a hankerchief on the side. I even asked Shah Rukh sir," he added. KKR had spent Rs 23.75 crore to buy Iyer back for the 2025 season, but after his release he admitted he had mentally moved on and was not considering a return during the 2026 auction. "I didn’t even think about the pay cut. I had already started thinking, ‘Okay, it’s not going to be purple,’" he said. Iyer was eventually signed by defending champions RCB, where he experienced a different fan culture. He was struck by the devotion of Bengaluru supporters, describing their connection with the franchise as unprecedented. "You won’t believe this, but I saw people actually worshipping the RCB jersey before matches. This was something different. Fandom at a different level," he recalled. In his early days at RCB he spent time on the bench before being introduced as an impact substitute after the team suffered an early collapse. He scored an unbeaten 29 off 15 deliveries, helping RCB reach 201/8, though the team lost the match. Iyer later delivered another strong performance against Punjab Kings, remaining unbeaten on 73 off 40 balls. He finished the season with 209 runs from seven matches at an average of 52.25, contributing to RCB’s successful campaign as the franchise won its second IPL title in a row.