The three-time title winners, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), are all set to enter the auction of the IPL 2026 with a new approach under the head coach Abhishek Nayar. Since his appointment, he has made bold decisions to free up a major portion of their purse.
Speaking on the JioStar, former Team India cricketer Saba Karim feels that KKR will bid for Venkatesh Iyer, whom they bought for Rs. 23.75 crore in the previous edition`s auction.
He feels that the franchise had released him to free up a huge amount of their purse.
“There is a strong possibility that KKR may buy him back. He was released at 23 crores which freed up a huge amount in their purse and chances are high that he may not go for that much money now in the mini-auction,” said the former cricketer.
Karim then said that Abhishek Nayar will keep players who he feels can win him matches.
“This is a trademark Abhishek Nayar move because he always wants to start fresh. He only keeps players he feels are part of a winning combination and will be regular in the playing eleven. The rest, he buys back in the auction. I think he will build his team that way. I`ve always seen Abhishek Nayar work like this. So I feel the KKR management believes that maybe Venkatesh Iyer has exhausted his utility, similar to how they valued Andre Russell for years,” said the 58-year-old former cricketer.
Additionally, KKR`s veteran all-rounder Andre Russell announced his retirement from the league.
In 2021, Venkatesh arrived as a storm, scoring 370 runs in ten games, which was his debut season, as KKR reached the final, but they lost to Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
In their title-winning year in 2024, the southpaw again scored 370 runs. Things looked difficult in 2025, as he scored 142 runs in 11 games, with one fifty, at an average of 20.28.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) auction for the upcoming edition is scheduled on December 16.
In the previous season, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) emerged victorious under the captaincy of newly-appointed captain Rajat Patidar.
(With ANI Inputs)