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“RCB always goes after our players”- KKR Head coach tries reasoning Venkatesh Iyer failed bid

Jatin

Venkatesh Iyer was bought by RCB [Source: @CricCrazyJohns/x.com]Venkatesh Iyer was bought by RCB [Source: @CricCrazyJohns/x.com]

The dust has settled on the IPL mini-auction, but one moment still stings for Kolkata Knight Riders fans. Seeing Venkatesh Iyer slip away to rivals Royal Challengers Bangalore was hard to swallow, especially after everything he has meant to KKR over the years.

In the IPL 2026 mini auction, KKR pushed Venkatesh Iyer's bidding up to INR 6.8 crore, but when RCB went to INR 7 crore, the Knight Riders chose not to cross the line. That final paddle never went up, and just like that, Iyer was gone.

Abhishek Nayar explains why Venkatesh Iyer slipped away at IPL auction

Now, the franchise has finally broken its silence and explained what really went down at the auction table. Venkatesh Iyer was a core part of their journey. From being picked up early in his career to becoming a match-winner, he had grown into a familiar face in purple and gold.

KKR had splurged INR 23.75 crore on him ahead of the 2025 season, but things didn’t go to plan. Runs dried up, confidence dipped, and the pressure of that big price tag started to weigh heavy.

That rough season played a big role in KKR’s call to release him before the retention deadline. Still, when his name came up again at the mini-auction, KKR were very much in the hunt.

KKR head coach Abhishek Nayar has now opened up about the situation, making it clear that the franchise didn’t let Iyer go without a fight.

“Venkatesh Iyer has been a franchise player for us from the start. We tried to get him back. We felt other teams were saving money for different players, so we thought we could get him at a lower price,” Nayar said on JioHotstar.

A familiar auction rivalry

Nayar also hinted at a pattern KKR fans know all too well.

“We tried, but RCB always seems to go after our players. This year, they got him,” he said.

Despite the disappointment, there was no bitterness in his words.

“Venkatesh has been phenomenal for us over the years, and I wish him all the best in his new IPL journey.”

Cameron Green becomes the new centrepiece

While losing Iyer hurt, KKR made sure they didn’t leave the auction empty-handed. Their biggest move was snapping up Cameron Green for a staggering INR 25.20 crore, making him the most expensive player in IPL history, going past Mitchell Starc.

“We wanted to go all out. If we have the money, we spend it. There was no point in saving the money,” he said.

With Andre Russell no longer around, KKR felt Green was the man to take the franchise forward.

KKR squad shaping up for IPL 2026

KKR didn’t stop there. They also brought in Matheesha Pathirana, Finn Allen, Tim Seifert, and Rachin Ravindra, adding depth and firepower ahead of IPL 2026.

Under the leadership of Ajinkya Rahane, the three-time champions will be desperate to bounce back after missing out on the playoffs last season. The new campaign begins on March 26 and expectations are already high.