Sun Nov 24 18:08:12 UTC 2024: ## KKR Splurges ₹23.75 Crore to Retain Venkatesh Iyer in IPL 2025 Mega Auction
**Kolkata, India** – Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) made a significant splash at the IPL 2025 mega auction on Sunday, securing the services of all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer for a staggering ₹23.75 crore. This makes Iyer the third most expensive buy of the auction, following Shreyas Iyer (₹26.75 crore to Punjab Kings) and Rishabh Pant (₹27 crore to Lucknow Super Giants).
The bidding for Iyer, who started with a base price of ₹2 crore, was intense. Lucknow Super Giants and Royal Challengers Bangalore joined the fray, pushing the price up to ₹8.50 crore before LSG withdrew. Despite stiff competition from RCB, KKR ultimately prevailed, retaining a key member of their team.
Iyer, who joined KKR in 2020, has been a consistent performer, scoring 1326 runs in 51 matches for the franchise. His impressive debut season in Dubai saw him amass 350 runs in just 10 games, contributing significantly to KKR’s run to the final. In 2023, he became only the second KKR batsman in 15 years to score a century in the IPL, further solidifying his value. He also contributed a crucial fifty in the IPL 2024 final.
Beyond Iyer, KKR added South African wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock for ₹3.6 crore and Afghanistan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz for ₹2 crore, marking a return for Gurbaz to the franchise.
First Piper 