Venkatesh Iyer is going to be the most prominent player during the IPL 2026 mini-auction, especially now that Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have released him before the upcoming season. Though the IPL 2025 produced a very disappointing performance for Iyer—142 runs in seven innings—the 30-year-old allrounder’s mix of aggressive batting, offering competent seam bowling, and being a good leader still puts him on the list of many franchises’ interests.

Iyer, once worth ₹23.75 crore, still gives great tactical variety. He can operate in different batting positions, under pressure he can be an inning’s anchor, he can be the one to speed up when necessary, and he can be the one who is a change bowler—all these traits make him the golden Indian all-rounder for any squad rebuilding ahead of the new season.

His character, talent, and domestic captaincy experience are the things that have been adding to his attractiveness, and they have put him in the midst of a probable multi-way bidding war. The following is a detailed account of 3 franchises that will probably compete for his signature at the IPL 2026 auction:

1. Chennai Super Kings (CSK)

CSK is likely to go after Iyer with great zeal as they try to boost their Indian batting stock. His cool-headedness is in sync with the team pressure-free coalition before the final big blows, which is the very philosophy Chennai likes to follow.

Iyer has the ability to hit hard and yet be a left-handed rock in the middle order which would perfectly fit in with Shrivam Dube sitting already in it. Hence, CSK would get a middle-overs engine that is both balanced and flexible.

The franchise had to put up with performance ups and downs from players like Deepak Hooda, Vijay Shankar, and Rahul Tripathi in the previous season. Iyer’s joining would not only shore up their lineup, but also provide an option of being able to bat and bowl—a feature that CSK has always put a premium on.

2. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)

SRH’s top order is quite powerful with Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head, but the middle order often struggles with depth past Heinrich Klaasen. Due to his ability to rotate the ball and speed up the game, Iyer is the right person for SRH’s core.

If he teams up with Ishan Kishan, SRH can build a left-hander-heavy middle order which can be very strong, as well as more diverse and less predictable in their batting strategies.

Besides, his bowling adds to the team’s flexibility, and he could become a great Impact Player based on the match conditions.

3. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)

A possible reunion with KKR is still a realistic option. The franchise might have released him because of their budget issues, but they could still try to bring him back at the right price.

Iyer was one of KKR’s stars in IPL 2024 when he scored at a very good average of 46.25 along with several match-winning innings. He has already expressed his desire to wear the purple jersey again (which he told CricTracker privately) and his comfort in the team environment could together increase the chances of a comeback.

Nevertheless, the final decision will depend on the auction dynamics, money availability, and competition from other franchises.