Kolkata Knight Riders' newly appointed captain, Ajinkya Rahane, has thrown his support behind Venkatesh Iyer, stating that he fully deserves the hefty price tag he secured during the IPL 2025 auction. Iyer was one of the most expensive buys of the auction, fetching a staggering INR 23.75 crore (approx. USD 2.83 million). His price took many by surprise, leading to widespread discussions and debates. However, Rahane has now stepped in to defend his new teammate, stressing that Iyer has earned his worth. "I do want to tell you all that Venkatesh deserves that price. People are talking about all these things, but he has done well for this franchise on a number of occasions. So, I think he has deserved that price," Rahane said, as quoted by PTI. Interestingly, Rahane himself went unsold in the initial phase of the IPL 2025 auction. However, KKR later acquired him during the accelerated auction for INR 1.5 crore (USD 180,000 approx.) and soon appointed him as their captain. The veteran batter is heading into the IPL after an impressive 2024 domestic season, where he led Mumbai to victory in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, defeating Rajat Patidar's Madhya Pradesh in the final. Rahane finished as the tournament’s highest run-scorer, amassing 469 runs in eight innings at an average close to 59. Also Read: 'Today, people are more focused on IPL’: Rishabh Pant With Venkatesh Iyer expected to open the innings for KKR, it remains to be seen where Rahane will slot himself into the batting order. However, he remains flexible and committed to the team's requirements. "I have always played wherever the team wanted me to play throughout my career, and that has always been my approach—team first. We still have eight days before our first game, and I will have more discussions with the coach and mentor. But whatever the team needs, I will always give my best in that role," he said. Rahane also expressed his excitement about working alongside KKR’s newly appointed mentor, Dwayne Bravo. Having previously worked/played together at Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings, Rahane is eager to learn from Bravo’s experience and winning mindset. "It is really exciting to work with him. Nothing can beat experience. He's won so many games for West Indies and for the franchises he's played for. So, for us, working with him is a great opportunity. I expect to learn a lot from him, both individually and as a team," Rahane stated. With three IPL titles to their name, the Kolkata Knight Riders are gearing up to defend their championship. They will begin their IPL 2025 campaign against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at home on March 22. Notably, Rajat Patidar, who finished as the runner-up to Rahane’s Mumbai side in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final, will be leading RCB this season.