The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) left out Venkatesh Iyer for the second time this season. Venkatesh Iyer wasn’t picked in the side that faced Chennai Super Kings on May 7 before the IPL was suspended for a week due to security concerns amid the India-Pakistan conflict. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) finished their underwhelming campaign in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 with a crushing 110-run defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Sunday, May 25
One of the biggest disappointments for KKR from the batting unit has been Venkatesh Iyer, who was roped in for a huge sum of ₹23 crore. After the league’s resumption, KKR’s clash against RCB on May 17 was washed out without the toss being held. On Sunday, Venkatesh Iyer was among the Impact Subs. However, Angkrish Raghuvanshi was brought in as the Impact Player.
The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) acquired the services of Madhya Pradesh all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer for Rs 23.75 crore in the IPL 2025 Auction here at the Abadi Al Johar Arena in Jeddah on Sunday. Venkatesh Iyer stunned many after being roped in for a massive price of Rs 23.75 crore by Kolkata Knight Riders at the IPL 2025 mega auction on Sunday, November 24. Venkatesh Iyer entered the auction at a base price of Rs 2 crore and saw a massive bidding war for him by three teams.
Venkatesh Iyer, the star Madhya Pradesh all-rounder attracted major interest from Lucknow Super Giants, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Kolkata Knight Riders. The IPL 2024 champions KKR managed to secure the deal after they made the winning bid of Rs 23.75 crore.
Venkatesh Iyer’s rise to ranks in IPL Auction.
The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) acquired the services of Madhya Pradesh all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer for Rs 23.75 crore in the IPL 2025 Auction here at the Abadi Al Johar Arena in Jeddah on Sunday. With a base price of Rs. 2 crore, Venkatesh Iyer was expected to fetch a good price, but no one could have predicted the astronomical heights his auction would reach.
KKR, who didn’t have the option of Right to Match heading into this auction (as they had already retained six players), were the first ones to raise the paddle for the MP all-rounder. LSG joined the bid quickly but moved out when the bid reached Rs 7.75 crore. RCB entered next and had a bidding war with KKR for Iyer
KKR, the team he helped lead to glory in the previous season, opened the bidding. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) quickly joined in, trying to snatch Venkatesh Iyer from KKR. The bidding escalated steadily, with LSG pushing the price to Rs 6 crore. However, they bowed out as KKR raised their bid to Rs 7.75 crore.
Paddles were raised rapidly as the two franchises showed no signs of backing down. The bid crossed Rs 18 crore, then Rs 19 crore, with KKR momentarily in the lead at Rs 19.25 crore. KKR raised the bid to Rs 20.75 crore, but RCB still wasn’t done. The battle continued until the bid hit an astonishing Rs 23.75 crore as KKR claimed the services of their former all-rounder.
Venkatesh Iyer’s performance in IPL and for KKR
Venkatesh Iyer had debuted for KKR in 2021 and immediately made an impact with a prolific season, scoring 370 runs in just 10 matches at an average of 41.11. His exploits with the bat and ball earned him a spot in the Indian national team in both T20Is and ODIs. Over his IPL career, Iyer amassed 1,326 runs in 50 matches at an average of 31.57, with one century and 11 half-centuries with highest score of 104.
Bought in 2021, Venkatesh Iyer has played 51 matches in the IPL, all of them for KKR, scoring 1326 uns, including a hundred. He became the first Indian batter to hit a hundred for KKR in 2023 season.
In IPL 2024, Venkatesh Iyer’s value as a match-winner was undeniable. His T20 batting strike rate of 137.64 and his tight bowling economy under seven underscored his all-around capabilities. The Madhya Pradesh all-rounder had also hit 121 fours and 61 sixes in his IPL career, solidifying his reputation as a power-hitter.
Venkatesh Iyer played a key role in KKR’s title-winning run in 2024, hitting 370 runs at a staggering strike rate of 158. The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) vice-captain hasn’t had a memorable time with the bat in the ongoing season with 135 runs to his name from six innings at an average of 22.50 and a strike rate of 139.17.
The southpaw has failed to justify his price after being bought for Rs 23.75 crore by KKR in the mega auction, having scored just one fifty this season. Following KKR’s washed-out game against Punjab Kings (PBKS), Venkatesh Iyer played in 11 games for KKR this season. He batted only on seven instances, scoring 142 runs at an average of 20.29 and a strike rate of 139.22. The southpaw only scored a solitary half-century in the campaign. Venkatesh wasn’t used with the ball, and this surprised fans as well as experts.
Kolkata Knight Riders’ surprise decision to sideline Venkatesh Iyer in their final group match of IPL 2025 has sparked intense speculation about the all-rounder’s future with the team. Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has hinted that the move could signal a long-term strategy by the franchise to release Iyer and potentially rebuy him at a reduced cost in next year’s auction.