Venkatesh Iyer featured in the second phase of the Indian Premier League (IPL) last year in the UAE and played only 10 matches for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) but his performances in those games earned him a place in the Indian team and the all-rounder has not looked back since. Many fans and cricket experts rate him highly and even feel that he could be the perfect replacement for Hardik Pandya, who has been away from international games for months due to injury.

Iyer's rise in Indian cricket shows how IPL has worked as a platform for youngsters to showcase their skills and get into the Indian team. 

Back to his happy place! @venkateshiyer #KKR #KKRHaiTaiyaar #GalaxyOfKnights #IPL2022 pic.twitter.com/RjJ7yXvOMc

The all-rounder is a WWE fan and his favourite superstar is former WWE champion Seth Rollins. Ahead of the IPL 2022 campaign opener, Iyer received a 'special message' from Rollins who wished the all-rounder the best for the upcoming season. 

"Venkatesh...my man. It is I, the visionary, the revolutionary, Seth 'Freakin' Rollins. And I am so, no surprises here, that you are a huge fan of mine. My friend, that feels so good. But you got Indian Premier League ahead of you. So you need my blessing to go and grab that cup. So prepare yourself to be blessed by the visionary and go on and burn it down," Rollins said in a video posted on social media by WWE.

.@WWERollins’ message for @KKRiders' @venkateshiyer ahead of #IPL2022. #WrestleMania #MeraWrestleMania #WWEonSonyIndia pic.twitter.com/xtjmx269Hs

It is not the first time when WWE superstars have reacted to the Indian Premier League. Back in 2017, when Mumbai Indians won their third IPL title, WWE legend Triple H had sent a custom title belt to MI.

Paltan, doesn't the WWE Championship belt look amazing with Mumbai Indians on it? #CricketMeriJaan pic.twitter.com/mZo8ka3URU

Coming back to cricket, Iyer scored 370 runs in 10 games at an average of 41.11 last year. He gave KKR solid starts throughout the tournament that helped them to reach the finals in 2021. 

The Kolkata-based franchise would be hoping for a similar show from their all-rounder as they are ready to embark on a new journey with new captain Shreyas Iyer at the helm. 

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, say hello to the NEW SKIPPER of the #GalaxyOfKnights

অধিনায়ক #ShreyasIyer @ShreyasIyer15 #IPL2022 #KKR #AmiKKR #Cricket pic.twitter.com/veMfzRoPp2

KKR will open their campaign against the defending champions Chennai Super Kings at the iconic Wankhede stadium on Saturday (March 26).

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