IPL 2021: Venkatesh Iyer Is A Stephen Fleming Clone, He’s Got A Big Future, Says Hussey

Mumbai: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) chief mentor David Hussey heaped praise on opener Venkatesh Iyer and even compared him to former New Zealand captain and current Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming after the team’s win in Qualifier 2 on Wednesday.

“We have a player in Venkatesh Iyer. Not only is he a classy player, but he is also an amazing person. He hit the ball brilliantly with the first ball. Some of those big sixes he hit actually changed the tempo of the game and got us into a winning position,” said Hussey during the post-match presentation.

“Our openers complement each other. He’s just a class player at the top. He’s tall, a Stephen Fleming clone, I believe he has a great future in the game,” he added.

Andre Russell has not been playing for KKR for the past few weeks but Hussey said that everyone is available for selection for the IPL 2021 final against CSK on Friday.

Hussey said, “I think Russell will be fine. We have to discuss it with the medical staff first. He’s doing all the exercises. He’s definitely in the mix.”

“Yes, of course, he (Shakib Al Hasan) is available. He is a good player, he has probably won us two games. Everyone will be available for selection and it will be a tough call for the head coach,” he added.

Needing 136 runs to win, KKR were off to a brisk start, courtesy of Iyer and Shubman Gill. The duo cashed in on all the scoring opportunities and took KKR to 51/0 in the first six overs before Rahul Tripathi sealed the win with a six in the last over.

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