Kolkata(PTI): Kolkata Knight Riders on Wednesday appointed India batter Shreyas Iyer as their new captain for the upcoming Indian Premier League after having bought him for a whopping Rs 12.25 crore at the recently-concluded mega auction.

Iyer, who had captained Delhi Capitals to their only IPL final back in 2020, was released after the 2021 season and it was an open secret that KKR, who were supposed to replace Eoin Morgan, were in need of a new captain.

"He (Iyer) has impressed one & all as a quality batsman at the highest level & we are confident that he will excel as a leader of Team KKR," KKR CEO Venky Mysore said in a statement.

Iyer said he is looking forward to fulfilling the role.

"I am extremely honoured to have gotten the opportunity to lead a prestigious team like KKR. The IPL as a tournament brings the best players from different countries and cultures together and I look forward to leading this great group of very talented individuals," Iyer said.

"I would like to thank the owners, management and support staff of KKR for giving me the opportunity to lead this team and I am confident that we will find the right synergies to achieve the team's goals."

Head Coach Brendon McCullum said he is excited to have Iyer in the fold.

"I am very excited to have one of India's brightest future leaders in Shreyas Iyer, take the reins at KKR.

"I have enjoyed Shreyas' game and his captaincy skills from afar and now will look forward to working closely with him to drive forward the success and style of play we want at KKR," McCullum said.

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Bengaluru (PTI): A 32-year-old man from Rajasthan who travelled to Bengaluru to retrieve his missing SUV was allegedly assaulted and robbed, police said on Thursday.

The victim, Chandra Prakash, a resident of Jodhpur, had lent his SUV to his friend Mahendra Gujjar over a year ago on the assurance that it would be returned within a few weeks, they said.

When the vehicle was not returned, he lodged a complaint with the local police in Jodhpur last year, but no progress was made.

According to police, Prakash then allegedly used a mobile application to track his vehicle’s location and found that it was being driven in Bengaluru. On February 23, he reached the city with a spare key, located the SUV parked by the roadside in east Bengaluru and drove it away after unlocking it.

Around 11.10 pm, as he neared Bommanahalli Circle, three men on a two-wheeler intercepted him. When he questioned them, an argument ensued and the trio allegedly assaulted him with an iron rod and a helmet, a senior police officer said.

The accused allegedly robbed him of two mobile phones and fled with the SUV. Prakash sustained injuries and was shifted to a hospital for treatment, he said.

Based on his complaint, Mangilal Choudary (40), a businessman from Rajasthan, was arrested in connection with the incident, police said, adding that efforts are being made to nab the other two suspects.

During interrogation, Choudary told police he had extended a friendly loan to an acquaintance who defaulted and that the SUV was given as security, police said.

Gujjar had allegedly borrowed money from acquaintances and passed the vehicle to a friend of Choudary, who later returned it to him. The SUV and the two mobile phones have been recovered, they added.