Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) recently released Venkatesh Iyer. This came after the team bought him for a massive ₹23.75 crore in the last auction.
On Tuesday, the Madhya Pradesh all-rounder responded with a timely half-century in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament.
Opening the innings against Punjab, Iyer smashed 70 runs off just 43 balls. His knock included eight fours and two sixes. This performance helped Madhya Pradesh reach a total of 225/8, even after the middle order collapsed. The match took place at the DY Patil Academy in Pune during an Elite Super League clash.
The timing of this innings is significant. Iyer reached his fifty just hours before the IPL auction in Abu Dhabi. It serves as a strong reminder to all franchises that he is a valuable all-rounder.
Venkatesh Iyer’s performance in IPL
Iyer made his IPL debut for KKR in 2021. The tournament had moved to Dubai due to the pandemic. His aggressive batting at the top of the order turned KKR’s season around. They eventually reached the final but lost to Chennai Super Kings.
That breakout season earned Iyer a spot in the Indian national team. He soon became known as one of the country’s most dependable all-rounders.
However, his role has changed recently. Teams have used Iyer mainly as a batter. This shift occurred largely due to the “impact player” rule, which allows teams to substitute players during a match. This rule often reduces the need for all-rounders to bat and bowl.
His IPL career peaked in 2023 when he scored over 400 runs, including a century. In 2024, he scored 370 runs during KKR’s championship run. Despite this, the heavy price tag of ₹23.75 crore seemed to affect his form in 2025. He managed only 142 runs in 11 matches, leading the three-time champions to release him.
After being acquired at such a high price, Iyer was even discussed as a potential leader before Ajinkya Rahane was appointed to that role.
What can Venkatesh Iyer bring to the table?
Iyer has now set his base price, the minimum starting bid, at ₹2 crore. He is listed in the second set of all-rounders for the auction. Iyer brings balance to any side. He can open the batting or play in the middle order. Additionally, his medium-pace bowling is a useful bonus for any franchise.