
Venkatesh Iyer, the skilled middle-order batsman, was picked up by the defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders for an impressive sum of ₹23.75 crore during the 2025 IPL mega auction. In the past few seasons, he has been an impeccable player for the Kolkata-based franchise and has performed well, though his huge bid seemed a bit surprising to all.
Recently, Venkatesh Iyer was a part of the Ranji Trophy match between Madhya Pradesh and Kerala. As per reports, the all-rounder suffered an injury during his batting innings and was seen limping throughout his innings. This raised eyebrows for several KKR fans as well as the management, as the vital player’s progress will be closely monitored. His high price tag showed KKR’s belief in the star all-rounder.
Here’s a list of 3 players who can replace Venkatesh Iyer in KKR’s IPL 2025 squad:
1: Shardul Thakur

Right-arm fast bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur, who went on to be bought for double-digit crores of rupees in the previous editions of the IPL, remained unsold during the 2025 IPL mega auction. He can be a perfect replacement for the injured Venkatesh Iyer due to his ability to step up in pressure situations. Shardul Thakur recently starred for Mumbai, as he scored a decent half-century against the tough J&K opposition.
In his IPL career, Shardul Thakur has played 95 matches, taking 94 wickets with an economy of 9.23 and scoring 307 runs with a strike rate of 138.91. Though Shardul was not great as a batsman, he is more promising with the ball than Venkatesh.
2: Rishi Dhawan

Veteran bowling all-rounder Rishi Dhawan recently called off the curtains to his domestic limited-overs career, though he will be continuing his red-ball career. He can be a crucial player for the KKR setup due to his vast experience. Rishi Dhawan was a part of Punjab’s 2014 final squad against KKR. Rishi brings a blend of medium-pace bowling and reliable batting down the order.
Rishi Dhawan has played 39 matches in his IPL career, thus picking up 25 wickets at an economy of 8.08 and scoring 210 runs with a strike rate of 112.30.
3: Sumit Kumar
Sumit Kumar is a well-known name who has been slowly emerging as an all-rounder, showcasing consistent performances for Delhi in the domestic circuit. He is a dependable middle-order batsman just replacing Venkatesh, while his medium pace can also come in handy. His ability to contribute in a dual role with bat and ball makes him a handy choice.
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