There is a strong possibility that KKR may buy back Venkatesh Iyer: Saba Karim

Former selector Saba Karim predicted KKR will likely buy back Venkatesh Iyer in the IPL 2026 auction for less than his previous $23.75\text{cr}$ price. He called it a "trademark Abhishek Nayar move" to free up the massive purse ($64.3\text{cr}$) and re-acquire key players at a better value.

11 Dec 2025 16:47 IST

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Former Indian cricketer Saba Karim has revealed that the three-time IPL Champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are likely to buy back their batting all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer in the upcoming IPL 2026 mini-auction, scheduled to take place on Tuesday, December 16.

Notably, KKR is all set to enter the mini-auction with a renewed strategy under their new head coach, Abhishek Nayar. Interestingly, KKR is coming into the mini auction with a whopping purse remaining of INR 64.3 Crore.

“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 budget, and chances are high that he may not go for that much money now in the mini-auction. This is a classic Abhishek Nayar move because he always wants to start fresh,” Saba Karim told on JioStar.

“He only keeps players he believes are part of a winning combination and will be regulars 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," he added.

In IPL 2021, after making his debut for KKR, Venkatesh Iyer accumulated 370 runs in 10 games, helping KKR reach the final, though they lost to Chennai Super Kings (CSK). In the IPL 2024 season, he amassed 370 runs as KKR went on to clinch the title. However, he had a poor IPL 2025 season, scoring only 142 runs in 11 games, with one fifty.

“They did not retain Rahmanullah Gurbaz. That means they need an opening batter. If that player can also be a wicketkeeper, it will be beneficial for KKR. They will have many options in the auction. They also need an explosive power hitter for the lower middle order. I think filling these two spots will be the most important thing for KKR in the upcoming auction," he observed.

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