Ex-Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) opener Robin Uthappa has come out and said that he felt like walking out of the franchise right after assisting them in winning the 2014 Indian Premier League (IPL) title. Uthappa had a dream season during the year, becoming the top run-getter with 660 runs at an average of 44.00 and also taking home the Orange Cap. Still, he wanted to go back to the auction so that he could capitalize on his market value. Uthappa signed up with KKR in 2014 for ₹5 crore when his former side, Pune Warriors India, was withdrawn from the IPL. Opening in combination with skipper Gautam Gambhir, his performance was a major contributor to the title-winning performance of KKR. Also Read | Chandrakant Pandit parts ways with KKR after 3 seasons Why Uthappa Wanted to Leave KKR In an interview on the 'KimAppa' show conducted by Jarrod Kimber on YouTube, Uthappa described his state of mind in the post-2014 season. Robin stated: "After Pune Warriors India, I went to KKR for Rs 5 crore. After my big year (with the bat), we won the IPL (2014) and I got the Orange Cap, I wanted to be released. I wanted to go back in the auction. I wanted to maximize the opportunity to earn more. To be honest, how much longer are you gonna play? Till 35, 36. And I was already 29 by then. So, I wanted to maximize my earnings." Yet, KKR's management declined his request. Talking about this incident, former KKR star said: "I went and had a conversation with the leadership group at KKR. They denied and said we can't let you go. We want you to play for us. We want you to play for us for a long time. And then I had a conversation with them and there was no way I could've earned more than Rs 5 crore based on the contract at that point. So I let it go. I just wanted to try and it was worth having a conversation." Uthappa remained with KKR until 2019 before joining Rajasthan Royals and then Chennai Super Kings, where he was instrumental in their 2021 victory. He played his final IPL season in 2022.