The former Indian selector and wicketkeeper Saba Karim has provided insight into the auction strategy of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) under their new head coach Abhishek Nayar, particularly addressing the franchise's plan for the recently released all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer. The IPL 2025 mega auction was defined by record spending. The most notable signature belonged to Rishabh Pant, who became the most expensive player in IPL history when Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) secured him for a colossal Rs 27 crore. Punjab Kings followed suit, breaking the bank for Shreyas Iyer at Rs 26.75 crore. Defending champions KKR were also major spenders, splashing Rs 23.75 crore to acquire Venkatesh Iyer.
While Shreyas Iyer justified his staggering valuation by amassing over 600 runs and guiding PBKS to a runners-up finish, Pant and LSG struggled, finishing 7th despite Pant signing off with a century.
All eyes on Venkatesh Iyer heading into IPL 2026 auction
Venkatesh Iyer, however, endured a poor season, managing only 142 runs from 7 innings and not bowling a single delivery. KKR finished below LSG and faced heavy criticism for the huge investment in the all-rounder. Unsurprisingly, the three-time champions released him ahead of the upcoming mini-auction.
Abhishek Nayar's strategic vision for KKR
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) now stand financially dominant, entering the mini-auction with the largest purse—a staggering ₹64.3 crore—among all ten teams. This gives the franchise substantial financial leverage to secure almost any highly-rated T20 player available in the auction pool.
Nayar only keeps players he feels are part of a winning combination: Saba Karim
The three-time champions are already executing a significant overhaul, highlighted by the appointment of Abhishek Nayar as their new head coach. Amidst these changes, former India wicketkeeper Saba Karim has offered a bold prediction: despite releasing Venkatesh Iyer, KKR may strategically attempt to buy him back at a much lower price. Karim believes this move is typical of Nayar's approach, which involves freeing up a large portion of the budget by releasing high-cost, underperforming players for a possible reacquisition at a bargain rate.
“There is a strong possibility that KKR may buy him back. He was released at INR 23 crores, which freed up a huge amount in their purse, and chances are high that he may not go for that much money now in the mini-auction," Karim said on JioHotstar.
“This is a trademark Abhishek Nayar move because he always wants to start fresh. He only keeps players he feels are part of a winning combination and will be regular in the playing eleven. The rest, he buys back in the auction. I think he will build his team that way. I’ve always seen Abhishek Nayar work like this. So I feel the KKR management believes that maybe Venkatesh Iyer has exhausted his utility, similar to how they valued Andre Russell for years," Karim concluded.