The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) made headlines at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, by spending a staggering INR 23.25 crore to secure the services of their star all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer. The franchise, determined to retain its core team, outbid stiff competition from the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to bring Iyer back into their squad.
KKR’s Strategy to Keep Its Core Intact
Heading into the auction, KKR faced challenges as they had already used their right-to-match card options after retaining six players. Despite losing out on key names like Shreyas Iyer and Mitchell Starc during the bidding process, the team ensured they retained crucial members from their championship-winning squad. Speaking about their auction strategy, KKR CEO Venky Mysore emphasized the importance of maintaining a strong core.
“For us, it was all about keeping our core intact. We retained six players and aimed to bring back a few others from last year’s squad. Venkatesh Iyer was a crucial part of our title-winning team, and we didn’t want to risk losing him,” Mysore said in a statement.
Venkatesh Iyer’s Emotional Ultimatum
Ahead of the auction, Venkatesh Iyer expressed his strong desire to continue with KKR, even giving the franchise an emotional ultimatum. According to Mysore, Iyer made it clear how much the association meant to him.
“He told us, ‘If you don’t pick me, I will be very sad.’ We didn’t want him to feel that way, especially considering how instrumental he has been for the team. His contributions on the field and his positive impact in the dressing room are invaluable,” Mysore shared.
Record-Breaking Bidding War
The auction saw intense competition for Iyer, with KKR and RCB locked in a bidding war that eventually ended with KKR’s winning bid of INR 23.25 crore. The first day of the auction was notable for its high spending, with three players crossing the INR 20 crore mark. Rishabh Pant fetched a record INR 27 crore from Lucknow Super Giants, while Shreyas Iyer was acquired by Punjab Kings for INR 26.25 crore.
Balancing the Budget
Despite splurging on Iyer, KKR managed to maintain balance in their squad by securing value-for-money players like Quinton de Kock (INR 3.60 crore) and Anrich Nortje (INR 6.50 crore). Mysore highlighted the importance of finding the right balance in team composition.
“When you look at players like de Kock and Nortje, their contributions balance off the budget. On the whole, it all works out,” he explained.
KKR’s Retained and New Acquisitions
Before the auction, KKR retained key players including Rinku Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Harshit Rana, and Ramandeep Singh. Their new acquisitions alongside Iyer include Vaibhav Arora, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Ramanullah Gurbaz, Mayank Markande, and the experienced Quinton de Kock.
Thoughts on Auction Dynamics
Commenting on the record-breaking bids, Mysore noted that high price tags are a natural outcome of the auction dynamics. “It’s a function of timing, availability of the purse, and team needs. Players set their base price, but it’s up to the franchises to raise the paddle. Personally, I feel the old Right-to-Match rule should have been retained,” he remarked.
With the auction done, KKR looks poised for another strong season as they aim to build on their success and reclaim the IPL title.
