Indore’s Venkatesh Iyer sold to RCB for ₹7 crore:Huge drop from last year’s price, first time away from KKR; Rajat Patidar and Avesh Khan retained

All eyes were on Indore-based all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer during the IPL 2026 mini auction. While many expected his price to rise, the opposite happened. Iyer was sold to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for ₹7 crore, a drop of ₹16.75 crore compared to his last season price. His base price for the auction was ₹2 crore. Previously, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) had bought Iyer for ₹23.75 crore in IPL 2024 and retained him for the following season. However, after scoring just 142 runs in 11 matches last season, his performance failed to meet expectations, affecting his market value. Although KKR attempted to bring him back, they did not place a high bid. Struggles in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Iyer’s form has also been under scrutiny in domestic cricket. In the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he has scored only 141 runs in nine matches, including a single half-century. On November 28, he made an unbeaten 55 against Bihar at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, but since then, his highest score has been just 23. He failed to reach double digits in four innings. His bowling has also been unremarkable. Iyer has taken six wickets so far, with his best performance coming against Jharkhand on December 14 in Pune, where he claimed three wickets for 17 runs. First time away from Kolkata in IPL IPL 2026 will mark the first season Iyer plays for a team other than Kolkata. He began his IPL career with KKR in 2021, scoring 370 runs in 10 matches, including four half-centuries. In subsequent seasons, his performances were mixed: 182 runs in 2022, 404 runs in 2023 (including a century and two half-centuries), and 370 runs in 2024, helping KKR win the title with four half-centuries. Overall, Venkatesh Iyer has scored 1,468 runs in 62 IPL matches, including one century and 12 half-centuries. Rajat Patidar and Avesh Khan among players retained Four players from Madhya Pradesh and other teams have been retained. Rajat Patidar, who led RCB to their first IPL title in 18 years last season, remains with the team. Avesh Khan has been retained by Lucknow, Arshad Khan by Gujarat, Aniket Verma by Hyderabad, and Madhav Verma by Delhi Capitals.