Former India opener Kris Srikkanth believes Kolkata Knight Riders should release Venkatesh Iyer ahead of the IPL 2026 auction, calling him an underperforming asset. He said Iyer’s form over the last two seasons has been inconsistent, making him less valuable in trades.
The all-rounder was bought for ₹23.75 crore in the 2025 mega auction but averaged only 20.28 across 11 games last season. Srikkanth noted that teams might prefer to bid for him at a lower price, around ₹3 crore, rather than trade for his current contract.
“He’s not a tradeable asset. He’ll be released. No team will trade for him and look to buy him. Instead in the auction, he can be bought easily for Rs. 3 crores. The last two years he hasn’t been great. He only scored in the semi-final and final. Throughout the tournament, he didn’t score much in the IPL over the last two seasons. When he came into KKR, he was an explosive opening batter. His best position is opening,” said Srikkanth on his YouTube channel.
Retain or Release? Srikkanth Weighs In on Two Big IPL Decisions
Kris Srikkanth then advised Mumbai Indians to release pacer Deepak Chahar ahead of the IPL 2026 auction, citing his frequent fitness issues and inconsistent performances. Bought for ₹9.25 crore, Chahar took 11 wickets in the 2025 season but struggled with an economy rate of 9.17.
Srikkanth also shared his views on Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Heinrich Klaasen, who was purchased for ₹23 crore last season. He felt SRH should retain him and allow him to bat higher in the lineup, as his wicketkeeping and top-order stability remain valuable.
“MI should definitely release Deepak Chahar. He struggles to run or field. Half the time, he walks off the field unfit as well. Why will I keep him in the squad? MI is a set team as is,” the former cricketer opined.
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“Why would you release Heinrich Klaasen? The year before, he only scored big for them. Last season, they messed with his batting position too much. He batted at 5 at times and played as a finisher after 16 overs a few times. Instead, they should let him bat at 3 from the 3rd over itself. And you don’t even have to give him any instructions plus he’s still keeping superbly too. If you release him, then it’ll be difficult to get him back. Although we have to see which team has the space to buy him,” he concluded.
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