The former CSK star discloses overweight conversation with AB de Villiers, says RCB celebrated after failing to buy Venkatesh Iyer
Royal Challengers Bengaluru did everything for Venkatesh Iyer during the last IPL auction.
The SouthPaw has not been kept by Kolkata Knight Riders and was to provoke an auction war due to its performance in the last seasons of IPL.
RCB went to Venkatesh Iyer
RCB, who sought to revise their team, decided to go big for the proven match winner. They were involved in a war of ferocious auctions with KKR and went up to 23.50 INR crores. In the end, KKR signed the left -hander for 23.75 INR crores.
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With RCB not having signed Venkatesh Iyer, the former drummer of India Abhinav Mukund thinks that it was a disguised blessing for the outfit based in Bengaluru.
After missing Iyer, the holder based in Bengaluru continued to sign Josh Hazlewood (12.50 Core Inr) and Phil Salt (11.50 Inr). While Iyer had a hard time with its form throughout the IPL 2025, Hazlewood and Salt played a big role in the historic triumph of the IPL of RCB.
Abhinav Mukund on RCB missing Venkatesh Iyer:
Addressing IPL broadcasters, Abhinav Mukund revealed a conversation with the former star of the RCB AB de Villiers while he was talking about the missing franchise Iyer. He also revealed a surprising statement by De Villiers while the great South African said that he felt “too paid” during his passage from the IPL.
“I was sitting next to AB de Villiers and he said something to me that I don’t think that a legend of the IPL said. But he really wanted it, he said it from a place of emotion. He said I was too paid. I am too paid, I thought I was too paid because I have the impression that all the other elements you are talking about, right?
“Where you can buy so many other superstar players, all these match winners you are talking about. The highest money they spent was for someone like a Salt Phil or Josh Hazlewood. They did not go through 15,” said Mukund.
“With hindsight, they must think, thank God, we did not go to the end for Venkatesh Iyer. Because their last losing offer was Venkatesh Iyer. And the next three purchases were Josh Hazlewood, Jiteh Sharma and I think Phil Salt.” He added.
Iyer had a disappointing season with the bat because he managed to score only 142 points in IPL 2025 with an average of 20. On the other hand, Hazlewood and Salt appreciated impressive campaigns. Salt scored 403 points at a strike rate of more than 175 while Hazlewood recovered 22 counters.
