• Home
  • Who Said What
  • Revealed Why Rcb Were Ready To Break Their Bank For Venkatesh Iyer In Ipl Mega Auction

Revealed: Why RCB Were Ready To Break Their Bank For Venkatesh Iyer In IPL Mega Auction

Anurag Dasgupta

Why RCB went after Venkatesh Iyer [Source: AFP Photo] Why RCB went after Venkatesh Iyer [Source: AFP Photo]

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) won the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 title by defeating the Punjab Kings in a thrilling contest. This win gave RCB its maiden IPL title after 18 attempts. When the IPL mega auction took place in 2024, eyebrows were raised as RCB assembled its squad, and going after Venkatesh Iyer was one decision which was heavily criticised.

Why RCB went after KKR flop star Venkatesh Iyer?

RCB went till 23.50 crore for Venkatesh Iyer, a decision which looked baffling at the auction table. However, the Red Army narrowly missed out on him as KKR splashed 23.75 crore and acquired his services for the 2025 season. In an interview with Cricbuzz, RCB Director of Cricket, Mo Bobat revealed the real reason as to why the franchise went after KKR star, and splashed a good chunk of their money on him.

"Venky was someone we were really interested in. Andy and myself and DK met him before the auction. He's a player that we like in terms of his skills. He's a character that I really respect. I think he would have been another one of those really senior, leaderful kind of characters that we recruited. So, we were really keen on him. And then, when we didn't get Venky, we prioritised making sure that we would lock in Phil Salt."

RCB reportedly still interested in Venkatesh Iyer

Even with the 2025 season done, and dusted, there were reports that the IPL winners are still interested in Venkatesh Iyer, and could move for him in a trade deal. Moreover, Mo Bobat's words of wisdom on the KKR player reveals that RCB held him in high-regards, and if given a chance, they could move after him.

Why RCB could still go after Venkatesh Iyer?

RCB's batting order is sorted for next season, but the number 3 slot is the only place where there is a slight question mark. Devdutt Padikkal was used at number 3, and he had a decent season before the batter was ruled out of the competition due to an injury. He was replaced by Mayank Agarwal, who, too, had a decent campaign.

However, RCB are probably looking at a big name at number 3, and Venkatesh fits the bill. He can also chip in with a couple of overs, and can b e a solid batter who would enjoy batting in Chinnaswamy Stadium, a venue known for high-scoring games.