Venkatesh Iyer smashes timely 70 off 43 in SMAT on IPL 2026 auction day

New Delhi: India all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer delivered a timely reminder of his credentials with a polished 70 off 43 deliveries for Madhya Pradesh in a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Elite 2025 Super League Group A fixture against Punjab at the DY Patil Academy, Ambi, Pune, on Tuesday.

His innings was laced with eight boundaries and two sixes, underlining his ability to control the tempo in the middle order.

The performance came just a few hours before the IPL 2026 auction, set to take place at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, making the knock particularly significant. With franchises reconsidering their choices, Venkatesh’s fluent display arrived at a most timely moment.

Venkatesh burst onto the national radar after an impressive IPL debut season with the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2021, a campaign that earned him an India call-up and marked him out as one of the most promising all-rounders in the domestic circuit. His rise had begun earlier with a strong showing for Madhya Pradesh during the 2020–21 limited-overs season.

While his IPL 2022 performance was relatively modest, Venkatesh recovered in 2023, scoring 404 runs for KKR, including a century, at a strike rate of 145.85. His status within the franchise increased to the point that he captained the side a few times and was considered for the captaincy before Ajinkya Rahane took over last season.

However, the 2025 IPL proved to be a challenging campaign. Despite being retained at a hefty Rs 23.75 crore following the mega auction, Venkatesh managed only 142 runs across 11 matches, with a batting average of 20.28. The decline in performance ultimately prompted KKR to part ways with the left-hander, bringing an end to an association that had spanned his entire IPL career.

As the auction progresses, Venkatesh’s form in the domestic circuit, highlighted by his recent innings, is likely to attract close attention, with franchises weighing his proven pedigree against a recent dip in IPL fortunes.

KKR enter the auction with the biggest purse among all ten teams, of 64.30 crore, and will eye rebuilding the outfit with 13 slots to fill.

IANS