IPL's INR 23.75 crore player's salary to be slashed to half in this auction: Probable price, teams for Venkatesh Iyer

Venkatesh Iyer returns to the IPL 2026 mini-auction with a base price of INR 2 crore after KKR released him post a disappointing season.

Venkatesh Iyer enters the IPL 2026 mini-auction as a classic reset case. KKR pushed a bidding war up to INR 23.75 cr for him at the last mega auction, then let him go after an underwhelming season with only modest returns.

Venkatesh Iyer returned to the top of the order for KKR (PTI)

He is back in the pool at an INR 2 cr base price, one of the only two Indians in that top bracket alongside Ravi Bishnoi. A left-handed top-order bat who can bowl seam is still rare, so the real question is: who can pay serious money for that profile without repeating KKR’s mistake?

On roles, purse, and history, three suitors stand out.

Chennai Super Kings

CSK arrive with an INR 43.3 crore purse and nine open slots. With Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran both moving out, they suddenly lack a left-handed batting all-rounder in the top six. Chepauk rewards intent against spin and multi-skill Indian players; Iyer can open, bat at No.3, or float and give flexibility to the bowling attack.

Because CSK have both money and clear role clarity, they can afford to drive the bidding. If they commit to him as a medium-term piece, they are one of the few sides who can stretch into double digits and still finish the day balanced.

Kolkata Knight Riders

KKR’s release was ruthless but logical: an outlay of INR 23.75 crore for a season that brought only 142 runs. The upside is that now they carry the biggest purse in the room at INR 64.30 cr and know his game better than anyone.

If the room cools on Venkatesh Iyer because of recency bias and the optics of the INR 2 cr base-price call, they are perfectly placed for a value buy-back. For KKR, it becomes a pure math question: if he slides into the 8-10 crore window, does that still leave enough to fix death bowling and finishing?

Royal Challengers Bengaluru

RCB’s interest isn’t hypothetical. In the 2025 mega auction, they went head-to-head with KKR and bid for Iyer beyond INR 23 cr before losing out when KKR finally sealed him at INR 23.75 crore. That alone tells you how neatly they felt he fit their Chinnaswamy modes as a left-hand top-order option who attacks pace and offers a couple of overs.

Iyer doesn’t fix every structural issue, but he ticks enough boxes, domestic, left-handed batter, multi-skill, for them to stay interested as long as the number stays in the mid tier.

Price band and favourites

Venkatesh Iyer's probable IPL bidding. (HT)

Going straight to the maximum base price is always a gamble. It stops a bargain-bin deal but filters out casual bidders. In this market, it’s hard to see Iyer going below INR 6-7 crore; a realistic band is INR 8-11 cr, with a slim chance of touching 12 if CSK and one of KKR/RCB refuse to blink.

Anything much higher risks a 2025-style overreach - paying for the dream version rather than recent output. On balance, CSK look the cleanest tactical fit, with RCB as the unfinished business challenger and KKR lurking as the opportunistic buy-back if everyone else backs away.