RCB sign Venkatesh Iyer for ₹7 crore — analysing whether he’s a bargain buy and the role he could play in IPL 2026.
Venkatesh Iyer’s performance in the Indian Premier League (IPL) has gone from bad to worse over the years. Even though he comes in the all-rounder category, the pace bowling all-rounder hardly bowls in the competition. And his record of only 13.3 overs bowling to pick three wickets in the IPL over five seasons is strong proof of it. Moreover, since IPL 2023, he has bowled only one over in 40 games.
When Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) bought him for INR 23.75 crore at the IPL 2025 auction, the franchise envisioned Venkatesh Iyer fulfilling multiple roles. However, the move backfired as the left-hander managed just 142 runs from seven innings, averaging 20.28 at a strike rate of 139.21, with a solitary half-century to his name. Notably, he did not bowl a single over during the season.
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Venkatesh Iyer sparked bidding battle between RCB and KKR
The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) opened the bidding for Venkatesh at INR 2 crore. The Gujarat Titans (GT) briefly entered the contest before Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) raised the paddle at INR 3 crore. LSG soon bowed out, with the Kolkata Knight Riders stepping in to take their place in the bidding.
The IPL 2024 champions were keen to bring back their former star at a relatively modest price, while also rebuilding a competitive squad after a disappointing campaign last season. Having already invested close to INR 45 crore in three overseas players – Cameron Green, Matheesha Pathirana, and Finn Allen – their purse was already stretched by the time Venkatesh’s name came up at the auction.
The defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, continued with the bidding and eventually signed the player for INR 7 crore. Kolkata, meanwhile, showed little sign of disappointment after missing out on the Madhya Pradesh player.
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Venkatesh Iyer expected to help Bengaluru in middle order
Venkatesh enjoyed his most productive IPL season in 2023, scoring 404 runs from 14 innings at an average of close to 29. He struck at over 145, registering two half-centuries and a century, with a highest score of 104. He followed it up with another strong campaign the next season, amassing 350 runs in 13 innings at an impressive average of 46.25 and a strike rate of 158.79. On both occasions, he batted with freedom, unburdened by added responsibility or role ambiguity.
Bengaluru can look to use the Southpaw in a similar role. With Devdutt Padikkal having struggled with injuries – missing the crucial playoffs in IPL 2025 – the defending champions may consider using Iyer at No.3 or No. 4, depending on the match situation.
Venkatesh won’t bowl much, but if needed, he can at least give them one or two overs on special occasions. There will be days when the franchise may look to bowl their full quota of eight overs through Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, and Venkatesh.
With RCB not having Liam Livingstone for IPL 2026, they need someone to play in the middle overs. Venkatesh, being an Indian player, comes with an additional advantage. Moreover, he has played under Rajat Patidar for the state side, which could be another reason why they wanted to sign him for the upcoming IPL season.
Apart from Venkatesh, another notable signing of the RCB in the auction was New Zealand’s pacer, Jacob Duffy. The second-ranked T20I bowler can generate bounce off the surface to create trouble for the batters. He can be a good backup option for Josh Hazlewood, who missed the Ashes 2025/26 due to injury and is uncertain in fitness terms.
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