Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer, who was the franchises’s most expensive and overall the third-costliest buy last season at INR 23.75 crores, has been speculated with a move away from the three-time champions after a subpar show.
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Iyer was linked with a possible trade to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2026) auction later this year in exchange for wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan.
The deal made sense since KKR are on the lookout for a wicketkeeper-batter and while Sanju Samson is a priority, Ishan Kishan is a solid option to have as backup if the Samson move doesnt happen. Furthermore, releasing Venkatesh would free up a big part of KKR’s budget, which they can use to pursue other targets.
When quizzed about any such potential development, Venkatesh opened up and revealed that there has been no intimidation from the KKR franchise on the same lines.
Speaking to Sportskeeda, Venkatesh said, “I have got absolutely no clue. There has been nothing at all from the KKR management also.”
While typically a player is kept in the loop regarding any trade talks, Venkatesh’s lack of information might hint that he wil be with KKR for the forseeable future.
Interestingly, former KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer had revealed after he was let go before IPL 2025 that there was a lack of communication from the franchise ahead of the retention deadline. While it is still unsure where KKR stands with Iyer, a similar possibility can’t also be ruled out, given that he is still in the dark about his future.
Furthermore, Venkatesh has also been linked with RCB for a possible double trade for Phil Salt and Liam Livingstone. It remains to be seen if KKR opts to trade Venkatesh, or releases him to buy him back later at the auction or names him in the retentions list for IPL 2026.
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Iyer delivered a dismal performance in IPL 2025. The left-handed batsman mustered 142 runs across seven innings at an average of 20.29. He scored a half-century in one game but got out cheaply in other encounters.
In comparison, last year when KKR lifted the title, Venkatesh Iyer’s numbers were drastically better, where he managed 370 runs in 13 innings, boasting an average of 40+.
