Royal Challengers Bengaluru bought Venkatesh Iyer for ₹7 crore at the auction recently. That’s way less than the ₹23.75 crore KKR paid him last year. His IPL price dropped dramatically which already raised questions about his current form.
Now his Vijay Hazare Trophy performance against Kerala is making people worry even more. Venkatesh Iyer scored just 8 runs before getting run out stupidly through a mix-up. His IPL team must be watching these domestic games nervously wondering what they bought.
The all-rounder from Madhya Pradesh hasn’t looked sharp at all in recent matches. RCB fans are already questioning if their team made a huge mistake here. His price tag demands better performances than what he’s shown lately across formats.
The Massive IPL Price Drop Explained
KKR released Venkatesh Iyer after paying him ₹23.75 crore which says something clearly. His last season with them produced only 142 runs across seven innings total. That kind of underperformance forced KKR to let him go despite previous success.
RCB grabbed him hoping for a bargain at ₹7 crore during bidding wars. Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans also showed interest initially before backing out. His IPL team RCB eventually won the bidding but are they celebrating now?
Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar raised doubts about his starting eleven spot. He knows Iyer’s consistency but questioned where he fits in RCB’s established lineup. The team already has quality all-rounders who’ve been performing well consistently before him.
Career Numbers vs Current Form
Venkatesh Iyer has smashed 1,468 runs in 56 IPL innings averaging 29.12 overall. His career strike rate of 137 plus looks decent on paper. But recent form matters more than old statistics when teams pick playing elevens.
He walked into the auction with a base price of just ₹2 crore. His IPL price jumped to ₹7 crore showing teams still believe somewhat. But belief means nothing if performances don’t follow through during actual matches played.
The 2026 season starts March 26 with RCB possibly playing the opening match. Venue remains unclear since M. Chinnaswamy Stadium has some concerns pending resolution currently. Venkatesh Iyer needs to find form quickly before the tournament begins properly soon.
