Venkatesh Iyer was one of the biggest buys of the IPL 2025 mega auction. Kolkata Knight Riders bought him at the price of ₹23.75 crore. However, his performance was not justified by his salary.
His poor batting form pushed the Kolkata Knight Riders to make a bold choice and release him before the IPL 2026 mini auction. His release gave KKR a massive purse boost. The franchise now has the ₹64.3 crore budget to make a quality team for IPL 2026.
Why KKR Released Venkatesh Iyer
Venkatesh Iyer is a very big name for KKR and has given many match-winning performances in his early seasons. KKR has very high hopes with Venky Iyer in 2025 after buying him at a high price. But he disappointed the 3 times IPL winners.
He scored only 142 runs in 7 innings, which is below average for a quality player like him. The franchise pushed him to different batting positions, which made it hard for him to adjust to the positions.
Despite a disappointing season, he is expected to attract multiple teams in the IPL 2026 mini auction. Let’s break down the top three teams that love to buy him.
- Chennai Super Kings
Chennai Super Kings had the most disappointing season last year. They finished dead last for the first time in the 18 years of IPL history.
In 2026, CSK made a bold move by trading Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran to the Rajasthan Royals. In return, they got Sanju Samson, who is considered the successor of MS Dhoni.
Missing these two key all-rounders in the middle gave a chance that CSK might go after Venkatesh Iyer in the auction. His batting style aligns with CSK’s batting demands.
CSK players take time to settle before accelerating. He can be so dangerous with Shivam Dube in the middle order, both play spin well and hit massive sixes.
- Sunrisers Hyderabad
SRH also had a bad campaign in 2025. With poor performances by Nitish Kumar Reddy and Heinrich Klaasen, they need a reliable middle-order batsman. Iyer also provides some bowling options. He is a slow medium pacer.
After letting go of Shami and multiple spinners, the franchise might be looking for someone who can offer some bowling options, too.
SRH is known for their giant batting lineups, and Iyer will be a suitable candidate to join them for the IPL 2026.
Let’s see if the Orange team went after him or not in the auction.
- Kolkata Knight Riders
Vanky Iyer has been with KKR since 2021. He gave so many match-winning performances to the franchise. He knows very well what the team demands from him.
After releasing him from the squad, KKR will look to buy him at a lower price in the IPL 2026 mini auction.
No matter which franchise grabs him in the auction. But he will be one of the highlight players in the auction for sure.
