Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) successfully acquired Indian all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer in a sharp move at IPL 2026 mini-auction, securing his services for ₹7 crore.
The acquisition came after a competitive bidding battle with his former franchise, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as both teams recognize the value of the versatile left-hander.
With KKR withdrawing from the bidding at last, defending champions RCB secured Iyer for ₹7 crore. Last year, these two franchises had engaged in a fierce auction battle for Venkatesh, which ended with KKR acquiring him.
This purchase marks a significant reduction in price for Iyer, who was previously bought back by Kolkata Knight Riders for a staggering ₹23.75 crore in the 2025 mega-auction.
This massive price tag, which was due to KKR using their Right To Match (RTM) card, likely put immense pressure on Iyer, and a subsequent dip in form led KKR to release him ahead of the 2026 mini-auction.
RCB’s strategy was clearly focused on injecting reliability and flexibility into their middle order, as Iyer is capable of batting anywhere from opener to finisher. The Madhya Pradesh native has spent his entire IPL career with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) since his debut in 2021.
In his IPL history, Iyer has played 62 matches (as of the start of the 2026 season) and scored 1468 runs at an average of nearly 30 and an aggressive strike rate of 137.32. His career highlights include a memorable century (104) and 12 half-centuries. His handy right-arm medium pace bowling adds depth, a rare commodity among Indian players that RCB was keen to secure.
Venkatesh Iyer will now look to revive his form and justify his new price tag in the RCB camp, bringing his explosive batting and all-round capabilities to a team hungry for an Indian core player.
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