Venkatesh Iyer IPL profile – a 360-word snapshot of Kolkata Knight Riders’ dynamic left-handed match-winner. Across five straight seasons with KKR, Iyer has hammered 1,468 runs from 1,069 balls, translating to a boundary every fourth legal delivery and a strike rate of 137. His 136 fours and 65 sixes light up the power-play and death overs alike, while 12 fifties and one scintillating 104 underline his consistency and ceiling. With 56 knocks under his belt, the Madhya Pradesh star has crossed fifty once every 4.7 innings and converted one of those into a 55-ball hundred, the highest score of his IPL career. Iyer’s value multiplies with his ability to open or float in the order, evidenced by his seamless adaptation to Eden Gardens’ true bounce and the slower tracks of the UAE. While bowling remains a secondary suit, his part-time seam has chipped in with three wickets in nine innings, including a best of 2 for 27, showing he can break partnerships when the captain needs a surprise option. From 2021 through 2025, the all-rounder has remained a KKR constant, a testament to the franchise’s faith in his explosive batting and developing utility. Numbers tell the story: 137 strike rate, 65 maximums, 12 half-centuries and a lone but memorable century – Venkatesh Iyer is KKR’s home-grown power engine and one of IPL 2025’s must-watch entertainers.

Faf du Plessis has become one of the most bankable IPL openers across 13 seasons and four franchises, culminating in his 2025 stint with Delhi Capitals. The South African has stacked up 4,773 runs at a strike rate of 135, carving 439 boundaries and clearing the rope 174 times—numbers that paint the picture of a batsman who keeps the scoreboard in perpetual motion. With 39 half-centuries from 147 innings, he has built consistency into aggression, while his unbeaten 96 remains the tantalising high-water mark just short of a maiden IPL ton. From Chennai Super Kings’ yellow to Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s red and now Delhi Capitals’ blue, du Plessis has turned every jersey into a run-making statement, proving that adaptability and class travel well in T20 cricket.

Note: This overview is partially generated using AI and is based on statistical data. Please verify with official sources for complete accuracy.