The controversy surrounding Kolkata Knight Riders’ relationship with their former captain Shreyas Iyer Resurfaced after the franchise shared a post celebrating the second anniversary of their 2024 IPL title win. Iyer’s equation with KKR has been a talking point among IPL fans ever since the franchise released him ahead of the 2025 mega auction, following which he joined Punjab Kings. The decision had left many fans surprised, sparking backlash from Iyer’s supporters who accused KKR of disrespecting the player who had led them to their third IPL title.
On May 26, marking two years since KKR’s triumph, the franchise shared a picture of the squad posing with the trophy. However, Iyer, who captained the side during the title-winning campaign, was notably absent from the image. The franchise also posted pictures of key performers from the final, but Iyer was missing from those as well.
𝟐𝟔.𝟎𝟓.𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 pic.twitter.com/a1sOADCAS0
— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) May 26, 2026
The omission did not go unnoticed, with fans taking to social media to criticize KKR for not acknowledging their title-winning captain. Many accused the franchise of failing to give due credit to Iyer for the team’s success.
Like the dedication KKR admin puts to not include Shreyas Iyer in trophy celebrating posts everytime pic.twitter.com/dzCfGJN5p6
— Out Of Context Cricket (@GemsOfCricket) May 26, 2026
The first thing KKR admin do on the morning of 26th May of every year is waking up and removing Shreyas Iyer from their trophy celebration pictures with the help of photoshop and AI. They’re never getting over him anytime soon lmao. https://t.co/Ju70BH74tF
— Dhillon (@sehajdhillon_) May 26, 2026
The first thing KKR admin do on the morning of 26th May of every year is waking up and removing Shreyas Iyer from their trophy celebration pictures with the help of photoshop and AI. They’re never getting over him anytime soon lmao. https://t.co/Ju70BH74tF
— Dhillon (@sehajdhillon_) May 26, 2026
This is not the first time KKR has faced such criticism. Since 2025, the franchise has been called out by sections of fans for highlighting only a few players while overlooking Iyer’s contribution to the title-winning campaign.
Meanwhile, KKR, led by Ajinkya Rahane in IPL 2026, failed to qualify for the Playoffs after registering just six wins in 14 matches. The team endured a poor start with six consecutive defeats but managed to stay in contention for a Playoffs spot until their final league match.
In contrast, Iyer-led Punjab Kings, runners-up in IPL 2025, suffered a dramatic collapse in IPL 2026. They began their campaign with six consecutive wins and looked certain to qualify for the Playoffs. However, a shocking six-match losing streak derailed their season, resulting in them missing out on a Playoffs berth.
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