The IPL 2026 mini-auction may be over, but for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) fans, one moment still lingers. Watching Venkatesh Iyer walk away in Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) colours was not part of the script many had imagined, especially given how closely his journey has been tied to KKR over the years.
Despite not having a great season last time around, Venkatesh was a player KKR had backed early, trusted in big moments and even broken the bank for ahead of IPL 2025. Everyone knew that he may not be a Rs 23.75 crore player that KKR dished out for him. But it is about loyalty and camaraderie sometimes. That investment didn’t quite pay off last season, but when his name resurfaced at the mini-auction, KKR were very much interested in bringing him back.
Venkatesh Iyer to RCB for Rs 7 crore
Four teams initially showed interest. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Gujarat Titans (GT) dropped out once the price crossed ₹3.20 crore. From there, it became a familiar duel between KKR and RCB. KKR pushed the bidding to ₹6.8 crore, but when RCB went one step further, the Knight Riders chose not to stretch. That final paddle never went up. Venkatesh Iyer was gone. It must be noted that it was RCB’s losing bid when KKR snapped Venkatesh for a whopping Rs 23.75 crore last season.
KKR head coach Abhishek Nayar has now explained what went on behind the scenes, offering clarity without dodging the disappointment. “Venkatesh Iyer has been a franchise player for us from the start. We tried to get him back. We felt other teams were saving money for different players, so we thought we could get him at a lower price,” Nayar said on JioHotstar.
KKR’s caution was shaped by recent history. They had spent Rs 23.75 crore on Iyer ahead of IPL 2025, a season that turned into a struggle. Runs dried up, confidence took a hit, and the pressure of the price tag became visible. That season ultimately led to his release before the retention deadline. Still, Nayar made it clear KKR didn’t walk away easily.
Abhishek Nayar takes a dig at RCB
“We tried, but RCB always seems to go after our players. This year, they got him,” he added, taking a subtle dig at RCB. While there are no famous story regarding RCB going after KKR players, there are certainly a few examples. One would imagine Nayar hinting at former KKR players like Phil Salt, Chris Gayle, Suyash Sharma, and others who have played for RCB. . “Venkatesh has been phenomenal for us over the years, and I wish him all the best in his new IPL journey.”
RCB’s interest in Venkatesh Iyer wasn’t sudden. They had chased him last year as well, and this time, they were willing to go the extra mile. Head coach Andy Flower underlined why.
“We rate Venky so highly. We had a chat with him; we liked him, and we are very happy to have him. He has good leadership quality too,” Flower said. With Virat Kohli and Phil Salt set at the top, Iyer is expected to slot into the middle order, likely competing with Devdutt Padikkal for the No. 3 role. While losing Iyer hurt, KKR didn’t leave the auction empty-handed. Their big move was landing Cameron Green for ₹25.20 crore, making him the most expensive overseas player in IPL history.
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