With a number of starters in their squad, Kolkata Knight Riders are yet to finalize their batting order, revealed assistant coach Shane Watson at the team’s pre-tournament press conference on Friday, March 20.
Responding to a question from India Today on the role of Cameron Green, who was signed by KKR for Rs 25.20 crore, Watson said that the franchise is blessed with top batting talent, so team combinations are the biggest challenge this season.
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KKR have plenty of openers in their squad. Finn Allen and Tim Seifert are specialist cricketers while players like Ajinkya Rahane and Sunil Narine have also opened T20 cricket. This leaves Green, KKR’s most expensive signing, in a bit of a quandary as he too prefers a top-order role.
“The beauty of this Kolkata Knight Riders team is the amount of incredible world-class batting options we have. It’s an embarrassment of riches in terms of the caliber of players and figuring out where they all fit in. That will be the biggest challenge for the leadership of this organization – to get those combinations right from the first game and make the adjustments in the Edens Garden press conference as a phenomenal tournament. JioStar.
“Obviously, the quality of cricket that Cameron Green is as an all-rounder means that wherever he gets an opportunity, he will make the most of it. We have some really strong world-class players, along with a mix of experience and youthful energy. It’s exciting to see how that develops as the tournament progresses,” he added.
KKR CHALLENGES FROM THE BATTING ORDER
KKR’s batting unit is composed. Apart from Finn Allen, Tim Seifert, Rachin Ravindra, Cameron Green and Sunil Narine, the team also has some Indian options in Ajinkya Rahane, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Rinku Singh and Ramandeep Singh. However, as Watson pointed out, settling on the right combination will be a significant challenge.
KKR will begin their campaign on March 29 with an away match against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium. They will then return to Kolkata for three consecutive home matches at Eden Gardens against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants.
KKR endured a tough campaign last season, largely due to their struggles at the Eden Gardens. With a batting line-up heavily dependent on overseas players, the franchise will have to be more strategic with fielding this year.
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Issued by:
Kingshuk Kusari
Published on:
20 March 2026 17:49 IST
