Venkatesh Iyer Opens Up About Online Hate from KKR Fans

Indian cricketer Venkatesh Iyer has opened up about facing online criticism and hatred from Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) fans, particularly whenever Shubman Gill delivered big performances for Gujarat Titans. Four years ago, KKR chose to retain Iyer instead of Gill, later spending ₹23.75 crore to secure him for the 2025 season. Meanwhile, Gujarat Titans signed Gill for ₹8 crore, and he went on to become one of the franchise's key players. Iyer, however, struggled to live up to the high expectations placed on him. In a recent interview, he revealed that whenever Gill scored a century or made big runs, KKR supporters would target him on social media, with some comments becoming particularly harsh.

Iyer said he faced considerable hatred for a long period and continues to receive criticism even now. Some fans reportedly commented that KKR had lost a diamond while searching for gold. He admitted that leaving KKR was emotionally difficult and revealed that he had also spoken to franchise owner Shah Rukh Khan about the situation. Iyer clarified that money was never the issue, but he felt things were not progressing as he had expected. Now representing Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), he expressed surprise at the immense affection and support he has received from the franchise's fans, describing their fan culture as unique compared with other teams.