India and Madhya Pradesh all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer struck a fluent 70 off 43 balls, with eight fours and two sixes, in a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Elite 2025 Super League Group A match against Punjab at the DY Patil Academy in Ambi, Pune, on Tuesday.

The timing was hard to miss. Tuesday also marks the start of the IPL Auction 2026 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, and a brisk knock like this can only sharpen interest around the left-hander.

Iyer, who rose to prominence after a standout IPL debut season with Kolkata Knight Riders in 2021, was among the players released by the three-time champion ahead of the auction. That breakout campaign earned him a place in the national side and established him as one of the most exciting domestic all-rounders of his generation.

After starring for Madhya Pradesh in the 2020–21 domestic limited-overs season, Iyer enjoyed an impressive IPL 2021. He followed it with a relatively quiet IPL 2022, but returned to form in 2023, scoring 404 runs for KKR, including a century, at an average of 28.86 and a strike rate of 145.85.

A trusted figure within the setup, Iyer has also led KKR on occasions and was even discussed as a potential captain last season before Ajinkya Rahane was handed the role. However, IPL 2025 proved underwhelming, with Iyer managing just 142 runs in 11 matches at a strike rate of 139.22, a dip that ultimately led to his release.

Published on Dec 16, 2025