‘I faced lot of hate’: RCB star reveals how fans trolled him whenever Gill hit a ton

Venkatesh Iyer has shared his experience of facing extensive online backlash from Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) fans after Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) retained him while KKR released Shubman Gill prior to the 2022 IPL season. The batter explained that the criticism continued even after Gill's departure, with KKR supporters targeting him each time Gill scored a century during the tournament.Venkatesh opened up about the online harassment in a podcast with Aakash Chopra.

He recalled being subjected to hate comments on KKR pages whenever Gill scored a hundred, with fans ridiculing RCB for "losing a diamond" in the process. The 31-year-old also discussed his situation ahead of the forthcoming IPL 2026 auction, particularly after KKR decided to buy him back for Rs 23.75 crore ahead of the 2025 season.

However, Venkatesh reported that he had already mentally moved on and did not even consider a return to KKR during the 2026 auction. He admitted he didn't even ponder a pay cut, as he was already contemplating the change in fan culture.Iyer eventually signed with defending champions RCB, where he experienced a contrasting fan culture.

He was particularly impressed by the unwavering devotion of Bengaluru supporters, describing their connection with the team as something he had never witnessed before. Venkatesh recalled seeing fans even worshipping the RCB jersey before matches, a level of fandom he found unique. His early days at RCB involved being on the bench, but he responded with an unbeaten 29 off 15 deliveries, contributing to RCB's 201/8.

Although the team ultimately lost the match, Venkatesh later delivered another impressive performance against Punjab Kings, scoring an unbeaten 73 off 40 balls. He ended the season with 209 runs from seven matches at an average of 52.25, playing a crucial role in RCB's successful campaign as they secured their second consecutive IPL title.