Venkatesh Iyer or Devdutt Padikkal - who should bat at No.3 for RCB in IPL 2026?

Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) made an impressive buy at the IPL 2026 auction, roping in Venkatesh Iyer for ₹7 crore. The auction took place in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, December 16.

Venkatesh Iyer was released by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) after the 2025 season. RCB entered the auction with a purse of ₹16.4 crore and spent majorly on the all-rounder from Madhya Pradesh. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Gujarat Titans (GT) showed some interest before KKR also got in the race, going up to ₹6.80 crore before Bengaluru made the winning bid eventually.

Having featured for KKR since his IPL debut in 2021, this will be the first time that Venkatesh Iyer will be seen playing for a different franchise in the league. He played a key role when KKR won the trophy in 2024, scoring 370 runs.

While he could be looked at as a solid option at number three, RCB had also retained Devdutt Padikkal for ₹2 crore ahead of the auction. The 2025 winners will now face a major conundrum heading into the new season.

That said, let us take a look at who among the two could be a better fit for RCB at number three in IPL 2026.

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Performance in IPL 2025

Devdutt Padikkal reinvented his T20 game during the IPL 2025 season. The left-hander displayed better intent and an attacking approach in the middle. Although he played just 10 games and was ruled out due to injury, he played a major part in RCB lifting their maiden IPL title. Padikkal scored 247 runs at an average of 27.44 and a strike rate of 150.60 with two half-centuries.

Meanwhile, Venkatesh Iyer did not have a great season with the Knight Riders, which also led to his release. He managed just 142 runs from seven innings at an average of 20.28 and a strike rate of 139.21. The 30-year-old scored just one half-century and struggled for the majority of the season.

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Domestic T20 performance in 2025

Devdutt Padikkal has had a phenomenal year in domestic T20 cricket in 2025. In the Maharaja Trophy T20, he ended as the leading run-scorer. He smashed 449 runs in 12 games at an average of 40.82 and a strike rate of 154.83. Padikkal did even better in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2025-26 for Karnataka. He slammed 309 runs from six games at an average of 61.80 and a strike rate of 167.02 with a hundred and two half-centuries.

On the other hand, Venkatesh Iyer featured in the Madhya Pradesh League but played just two games and flopped with an average of 13.00 and a strike rate of 104. In the SMAT 2025-26, he played 10 games and managed just 211 runs at an average of 26.73 and a strike rate of 119.20. A 43-ball 70 was his only notable performance in the tournament.

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IPL performance at No.3

Talking specifically about the number three position, Devdutt Padikkal has played 21 innings in the IPL batting at three. He has scored 483 runs at an average of 24.15 and a strike rate of 138.79 with four half-centuries.

Venkatesh Iyer has played 15 innings at number three in the IPL. He has scored 562 runs at an average of 43.23 and a strike rate of 168.77 with a hundred and five half-centuries.

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Overall T20 experience

Devdutt Padikkal has featured in 115 T20s overall in his career so far. He has piled on 3362 runs at an average of 32.32 and a strike rate of 135.38 with four centuries, 21 half-centuries, and a top score of an unbeaten 124.

As for Venkatesh Iyer, he has played 145 T20s overall. He has scored 3249 runs at an average of 34.56 and a strike rate of 139.08 with a century, 19 fifties, and a top score of 104.

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Conclusion

RCB will have a difficult decision to make with two quality left-handers competing for a spot at number three in IPL 2026. While Venkayesh Iyer edges past Devdutt Padikkal with better numbers in the IPL at number three, it will be extremely hard to ignore Padikkal's exceptional performance last season, followed by his consistent display in the Maharaja Trophy and SMAT this year.

Keeping his phenomenal form in mind, it would only be fair to say that Padikkal deserves to start at number three next season. That said, RCB certainly have a terrific backup option in the form of Venkatesh Iyer in their roster.

Edited by Rishab Vm