Venkatesh Iyer returns to the IPL 2026 mini-auction with a base price of INR 2 crore after being released by KKR. Speaking on The Great Indian Cricket Show, Abhishek Nayar explained how Venkatesh Iyer’s attitude, rather than just his numbers, caught his eye during the trials.
Nayar said, ‘I actually picked him because of his attitude. On day one, Venkatesh Iyer walked in with swagger; he performed, but he never looked at us or tried to please anyone. I thought he was someone with a lot of attitude’
He continued, ‘On day two, we gave him a game. In the final over, when our bowler cramped, Venky shouted from the boundary, “I will bowl the last over.” He bowled and conceded 18 runs, but what I loved was his willingness to face adversity.’
‘The trial mattered less to him than proving to himself that he was doing the right thing. That conviction stayed with me.’
