Ashwin Names the Team That Dominated the Auction & Its Not CSK
The IPL auction has finally ended, and it seems that every team played well. But among them all, one team seems to have done a great job, according to Ravichandran Ashwin. Analysing the auction and the best buys, Ashwin applauds this team's decisions.
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International career
Venkatesh Rajasekaran Iyer was born on 25 December 1994. He is an Indian cricketer who plays for Madhya Pradesh in domestic matches and for Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League. He is a left-hand batter and bowls medium pace. Strong games in domestic cricket and the IPL brought him to the national team. In 2021, he got his first chance with India in T20Is and ODIs, where his role was seen as that of an all-rounder.
2021
- Stayed in the UAE as a net bowler with India’s squad for the ICC T20 World Cup.
- In November, named in India’s T20I squad for the series against New Zealand.
- Debuted in T20I on 17 November against New Zealand at Jaipur.
- Bowled for the first time in the last match of that series, with figures of 3 overs, 12 runs, one wicket.
2022
- In January, named in India’s ODI squad for the South Africa tour.
- ODI debut on 19 January against South Africa at Paarl.
- Played his last ODI on 21 January 2022 at Paarl against South Africa.
- In the same month, part of India’s T20I squad against the West Indies. Played all three matches, scored runs at a strike rate of 179.24 in the lower middle order, and took two wickets.
- Last T20I appearance came on 27 February against Sri Lanka at Dharamsala.
- In June, selected for India’s T20I squad against Ireland.
Leagues Participation
Venkatesh Iyer has played in the Indian Premier League with the Kolkata Knight Riders. His role in the team grew quickly after his debut, and he became one of their leading players in the batting order. Over the years, he added big scores and crucial knocks for the side.
Indian Premier League
Iyer joined the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2021. He made his debut against Royal Challengers Bangalore and a few days later scored a half-century against the Mumbai Indians. That season, he was central to KKR reaching the final with 370 runs. In 202,3, he hit his first IPL hundred against the Mumbai Indians. In 2024, he was repurchased for a record price, and in 2025, he was named vice-captain. In April 2025, he scored 60 runs from 29 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad, helping the team win.
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Year
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Team
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Notes
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2021
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Kolkata Knight Riders
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Bought at auction, debut vs RCB, maiden fifty vs MI, 370 runs, key to run into the final.
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2022
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Kolkata Knight Riders
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Stayed with KKR, regular opener and part of the batting core.
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2023
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Kolkata Knight Riders
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Scored first IPL century vs MI (104 off 51 balls), second ever for KKR after McCullum.
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2024
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Kolkata Knight Riders
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Bought back for ₹23.75 crore, one of the highest buys in IPL history.
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2025
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Kolkata Knight Riders
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Named vice-captain, scored 60 off 29 vs SRH in April match with seven fours and three sixes.
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Domestic career
Venkatesh Iyer started his domestic path with Madhya Pradesh. He played his first T20 in March 2015 against Railways, and his List A debut came later the same year against Saurashtra. While studying for a commerce degree, he cleared the CA Intermediate exams but chose to leave and study an MBA in finance so that he could focus entirely on cricket. His first-class debut came in December 2018 against Hyderabad in the Ranji Trophy.
In the 2021–22 season, he became a leading name for Madhya Pradesh. He scored 155 runs in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy at an average above 50, and later 379 runs in the Vijay Hazare Trophy with two centuries, one of them a record 151 at number six. He also added nine wickets in that tournament, showing his all-round skills.
He continued to play in domestic tournaments. During the Vijay Hazare Trophy in 2023, he featured in Madhya Pradesh’s match against Nagaland on 25 November, where his side won by nine wickets. His steady role in Madhya Pradesh teams across formats led him to grow as both a batsman and a bowler, which later opened the doors for his place in the national squad.
Records and achievements
Venkatesh Iyer stood out with his runs in domestic cricket, the IPL, and for India. He had substantial numbers in local tournaments, played big innings for Kolkata Knight Riders, and reached milestones in international matches.
- 2021
- In the IPL, he scored 320 runs for Kolkata Knight Riders and helped the team reach the final.
- He was named Player of the Match in the second qualifier after scoring 55 runs.
- On 17 November, he played his first T20I for India against New Zealand.
- 2022
- On 19 January, he played his first ODI for India against South Africa.
- In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he was the leading scorer for Madhya Pradesh with 155 runs at an average of 51.66.
- In the Vijay Hazare Trophy, he scored 379 runs at an average of 63.16 with a strike rate above 133. He made two centuries, including 151, which set a record as the first score of 150 or more by a batsman at number six or lower.
- 2023
- On 16 April, he scored his first IPL century against the Mumbai Indians, 104 runs from 51 balls.
- 2024
- In the IPL, he hit four fifties and finished as the third-highest run scorer for Kolkata Knight Riders.
- In the IPL final, he scored 52 runs from 26 balls. That was his fourth fifty in a row in the playoffs, a record that no other player has.
Personal life
Venkatesh Iyer’s life outside cricket shows his family support, financial success, and public attention. He married in 2024, built strong income sources, and stayed active in media, though at times he faced criticism.
Family
On 2 June 2024, he married Shruti Raghunathan. His father, Rajasekaran Iyer, worked as a human resources consultant and was initially against his son choosing cricket. However, he later changed his mind. His mother, Usha Iyer, worked as a senior nurse at Apollo Hospital in Indore and helped him start training at Maharaja Yeshwantrao Cricket Club. His sister is Priya Lakshnan Rao.
Finance
In 2025, his wealth was valued between ₹65 and ₹70 crore. A large part came from his ₹23.75 crore deal with Kolkata Knight Riders. He also received ₹ three crore a year from his BCCI contract, plus income from domestic cricket. Brand ties included Nike, SG Cricket, Boost, Myntra, and Tata Motors. Investments in mutual funds and fixed assets were around ₹2–3 crore.
Houses and cars
He owned houses in Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh. The cost of these homes was not disclosed.
Scandals
In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final, a dispute over a catch involving Ajinkya Rahane led to his suspension, and he later said he disagreed with the decision. In 2024, a clip from an interview with Sanjay Manjrekar spread online, when Mohammed Siraj distracted him during the talk. Fans thought he laughed at RCB’s bowling attack, though he explained later that the meaning was different. He also said he felt upset about not being chosen for the World Cup.
Fans
In April 2025, after scoring 14 runs from 19 balls against the Gujarat Titans, he faced intense criticism from Kolkata Knight Riders supporters, who questioned the price paid for him. On Instagram, he had about 856,000 followers.
