Cricketer to PhD - KKR star pursuing Doctorate, aims to complete ahead of IPL 2025

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Venkatesh Iyer, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) all-rounder and rising star of Indian cricket, has always believed in the transformative power of education. There is a saying that 'God help those, who help themselves' - and Iyer is definitely helping himself for a future after cricket.

While his explosive performances on the cricket field have earned him recognition, Iyer's pursuit of academic excellence sets him apart from many in the sporting world. The cricketer is currently working on his PhD in Finance and aims to add the prestigious "Dr." prefix to his name by the start of the upcoming IPL season.

After completing his MBA in Finance in 2018, Iyer received a lucrative job offer from Deloitte, one of the Big Four accounting firms. However, he made the bold decision to turn it down to stay in Indore and focus on his cricket career. This commitment paid off as he went on to achieve major milestones in cricket, including representing Madhya Pradesh and earning a spot in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Despite his success on the field, Iyer remains deeply rooted in his academic pursuits. Venkatesh Iyer hit the jackpot during the IPL 2025 mega auction when KKR acquired him for an astounding Rs 23.75 crore. Yet, the massive windfall hasn't deterred him from long-term goals.

"I want cricketers to educate themselves not just in cricketing knowledge, but general knowledge as well," Iyer shared in an interview with The Indian Express.

"If you can complete your graduation or post-graduation, you definitely should. You will be interviewing me as Dr. Venkatesh Iyer next time," he added.

"I come from an orthodox, middle-class family, and it's often challenging to convince parents about pursuing a career in cricket. Interestingly, it was the opposite for me. While I was always academically inclined, my parents encouraged me to excel in cricket too," he explained.

But despite that, the player believes the importance of education is unmatched. As the career span of a cricketer is very short, a strong base in education opens up multiple opportunities to thrive after the cricketing career. The player believes academics will help him grow as a cricketer and make better decisions.

"Academics can give me the perfect switch-off from the game. I don't want to be thinking of the game all the time, it adds pressure. If I can do two things at the same time, I will. Being an educated person, it helps me make better decisions on the field as well," Venkatesh added.

The KKR star is going to play a big part in IPL 2025 for the Knight Riders. And a few reports have already tipped him to captain the franchise next year.