Indian all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer and South African batsman David Miller have taken massive pay cuts in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 mini-auction.
Venkatesh Iyer, who secured Rs 23.75 crore from Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the 2025 mega auction, was picked up by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for Rs 7 crore this time. This represented a significant reduction in his salary of 70.52 percent.
Abu Dhabi IPL Auction: Update
However, the all-rounder from Maharashtra can feel some relief given how the pressure of his hefty price tag seemed to weigh on him last season. Iyer managed just 142 runs at a success rate of 139 in 11 matches for KKR, taking just one over in what turned out to be a disappointing campaign for the franchise. This was in stark contrast to his performances during KKR’s winning streak in 2024, when he scored 370 runs from an impressive 159 knocks in 15 matches.
Interestingly, KKR entered the bidding process for Iyer and pressured RCB in a two-way contest until the price reached Rs 6.80 crore. However, they decided not to go beyond Rs 7 crore as they had already invested heavily in Cameron Green, who they had earlier acquired for a record Rs 25.20 crore in the auction.
MILLER TAKES 73 PERCENT PAY CUTS
Meanwhile, Delhi Capitals completed one of the biggest buys in the history of IPL auctions by securing David Miller for just Rs 2 crore in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, December 16. The veteran South African batsman was widely expected to attract hefty bids, especially after he was included in the first group of players to go under the hammer in the 359-player mini-auction.
- Venkatesh Iyer in 2025: Rs 23.75 crore (KKR), in 2026: Rs 7 crore (RCB)
- David Miller in 2026: Rs 7.5 crore (LSG), in 2026: Rs 2 crore (DC)
Miller surprisingly received only one offer which came from the Delhi Capitals. The lack of interest from the rest of the franchise has raised eyebrows, especially given Miller’s reputation as one of the most reliable finishers in the shortest format.
The South African veteran suffered a pay cut of 73.33 percent compared to his previous salary when he was bought by Lucknow Super Giants for Rs 7.5 crore last year.
Delhi Capitals have further strengthened their squad with another bargain acquisition, securing England champions Ben Duckett for Rs 2 crore.
Lucknow Super Giants also made a smart move by picking up Sri Lankan spinner Waninda Hasaranga for Rs 2 crore, while Mumbai Indians brought back South African batsman Quinton de Kock for just Rs 1 crore.
The opening hour of the auction was unusual, with franchises mostly reluctant to bid on a few big names. Big players like Liam Livingstone, Jamie Smith, Rachin Ravindra along with domestic stars Prithvi Shaw and Sarfaraz Khan were initially unsold. With Chennai Super Kings and KKR being the only teams with big purses, most franchises opted to let the marquee names go through in the first round in hopes of bringing them back during the accelerated phase of the auction.
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Issued by:
Akshay Ramesh
Published on:
December 16, 2025
