Shreyas Iyer Left Out Again As KKR Celebrate IPL Win, Fans React – Shreyas Iyer Omitted Again as KKR Celebrates IPL 2024 Title Win
A Bitter Celebration: KKR Marks Two Years of IPL 2024 Glory Without Shreyas Iyer
On May 26, 2026, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) took to social media to celebrate a landmark moment in their franchise history: the second anniversary of their dominant IPL 2024 tournament victory. It was on this exact day in 2024 that KKR ended a painful ten-year championship drought, capturing their third Indian Premier League title. Yet, instead of a unified celebration of that historic campaign, the anniversary has reignited a heated controversy. For the second year running, the franchise has completely excluded their former captain, Shreyas Iyer, from their commemorative posts.
Recalling KKR’s Dominant Run to the IPL 2024 Title
The final of the IPL 2024 was hosted at the iconic MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) entered the ultimate clash as heavy favorites, riding on a wave of explosive batting performances that had redefined T20 cricket throughout the season. However, Shreyas Iyer and his team had a masterclass plan waiting for them. The KKR bowling attack executed their strategies to perfection from the very first over.
Australia’s star pacer Mitchell Starc set the tone for the evening, dismantling SRH’s formidable top order by clean bowling Abhishek Sharma with a sensational, swinging delivery for just 2 runs. The Hyderabad batting lineup never recovered from the early blow. They were bowled out for a meager 113 runs in 18.3 overs, with captain Pat Cummins top-scoring with 24 and Aiden Markram contributing 20. In response, KKR chased down the target effortlessly. Venkatesh Iyer anchored the chase with an unbeaten 52 off 26 balls, guiding KKR to an 8-wicket victory with more than nine overs to spare. Mitchell Starc was deservedly named the Player of the Match for his outstanding spell of 2 for 14. This victory marked KKR’s third IPL championship, adding to their previous trophies won in 2012 and 2014 under Gautam Gambhir.
The Falling Out: Why Shreyas Iyer Left KKR
Despite delivering a historic championship, Shreyas Iyer’s relationship with the KKR management deteriorated rapidly behind the scenes. Ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction, the franchise made the shocking decision to release their title-winning captain. Reports emerged suggesting significant disagreements between Iyer and the team’s upper management. This allowed Punjab Kings to swoop in and secure the services of the star batsman for a staggering INR 26.75 crore in the mega auction.
The controversy deepened when Iyer publicly expressed his disappointment regarding how the IPL 2024 triumph was credited. He pointed out that while he was the one leading the team on the field and executing plans, much of the accolades and media spotlight went to team mentor Gautam Gambhir, who has since transitioned to become the head coach of the Indian national team. While young players rightly praised Gambhir for his mentorship, Iyer felt his role as tactical captain was heavily overlooked.
Iyer’s Resurgence and KKR’s Persistent Snub
Since parting ways with Kolkata, Shreyas Iyer has proved his mettle elsewhere. He led the Punjab Kings to the IPL 2025 final and started the IPL 2026 season in spectacular fashion, winning six out of their first seven league fixtures. Despite his continued success, the bad blood between Iyer and KKR appears to linger on the franchise’s side.
In 2025, during the first anniversary celebrations of the title win, KKR posted several creatives on social media where Iyer was noticeably missing. History repeated itself on May 26, 2026. In their latest anniversary posts across X and Instagram, KKR once again left Iyer out. While the posts highlight individual player statistics from the final, the main graphic features Andre Russell lifting the trophy. There is no mention, image, or tag of the captain who actually lifted the trophy on that historic night in Chennai.
Fans React to KKR’s Controversial Social Media Stance
The omission of Shreyas Iyer did not go unnoticed by cricket enthusiasts. Fans quickly flooded the comments sections on both X and Instagram to call out KKR for what they termed a petty and cunning approach. Many argued that regardless of how the contract negotiations or personal relationships ended, Iyer’s contribution to KKR’s third star is an undeniable part of history.
As an editorial perspective, KKR’s decision to repeatedly ignore Shreyas Iyer’s role in their IPL 2024 success feels unnecessarily small-minded. He was the skipper who rallied the squad and made the tough on-field decisions that brought the trophy back to Kolkata. It is time for KKR to take the high road, acknowledge their former captain’s efforts, and bring this chapter to a respectful, positive close rather than continuing with these subtle social media snubs.
