Kolkata Knight Riders on Saturday released Venkatesh Iyer ahead of the 2026 mini auction, ending a four-year stint that swung from breakout promise to frustrating inconsistency.

His IPL value had ballooned from a base price of Rs. 20 lakh in 2021 to a staggering Rs. 23.75 crore in the 2025 mega auction, but he managed only 142 runs in 11 games last season as KKR’s middle order collapsed around him.

A title defence that never lifted off, combined with Andre Russell (who has been released as well) and Sunil Narine’s dip in influence, sharpened the franchise’s need for clarity.

Letting Venkatesh go now gives KKR a larger purse for December, but it also puts pressure on new head coach Abhishek Nayar to show that the reset is more than a financial manoeuvre.

Published on Nov 15, 2025