Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra believes Kolkata Knight Riders should make a serious bid for Australian all-rounder Cameron Green in the IPL 2026 auction, suggesting the young star could be an improved version of Andre Russell, the franchise’s most iconic overseas player of the last decade.
In a decision that stunned fans, KKR released Russell ahead of the new seasonending a partnership that spanned over a decade and produced two IPL titles. Russell, the league MVP in 2015 and 2019, was retained for Rs 12 crore ahead of the 2025 mega-auction and was seen as central to KKR’s identity on and off the field. By moving on from him now, the franchise will enter the 2026 auction with a hefty purse of Rs 64.3 crore and the option to re-sign him at a lower price if they so desire.
Aakash said on his YouTube channel that Green should be at the top of KKR’s wish list. “I think there is a need to make an adjustment to Cameron Green in purple and publish it now. KKR need Cameron Green. Now they will control the auction because they have a lot of money. The bowling will not be affected by the exit of Johnson, Nortje or Russell. You have four overs each from Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakravarthy. They could also buy you three more and Sunil. The overseas bowlers could perhaps come as an upgraded version of Russell,” Chopra said.
Russell’s numbers underline the magnitude of KKR’s call. In 133 matches for the franchise, the Jamaican has scored 2,593 runs at an average of 28.81 and a strike rate of over 175, with 12 fifties and a top score of 88*. He took 122 wickets at 21.59 with the ball, including five wickets and three fours. His ability to tilt games with explosive cameos and decisive spells has made him one of the most feared all-rounders in IPL history.
However, Green has made a compelling case of his own. After being bought by Mumbai Indians for Rs 17.5 crore ahead of the 2023 season, he had an excellent debut campaign, scoring 452 runs at an average of 50.22 and a strike rate of 160.28, including a century and two fifties, along with six wickets. He joined Royal Challengers Bengaluru in an all-cash deal ahead of IPL 2024 and played a key role in their dramatic turnaround from one win in eight matches to reach the play-offs. That season he contributed 255 runs at 31.38 and a strike rate of 143 and took 10 wickets at 30.30.
In 2025, Green’s T20I form was excellent. He scored 258 runs in eight innings at 43.00 and struck out over 168, with three half-centuries. Equally important for KKR, he has resumed bowling after a brief period of caution and recently bowled a fiery spell for Western Australia where he consistently hit 135-140km/h ahead of the Ashes.
KKR’s overhaul ahead of IPL 2026 has been extensive. Alongside Russell, the franchise has produced Moeen Ali, Anrich Nortje, Quinton de Kock, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Spencer Johnson and Venkatesh Iyer. The decision to drop Iyer, while significant, is in line with his recent form and the team’s desire to restore team momentum.
Despite the departures, KKR retain a strong core. Ajinkya Rahane, Manish Pandey, Sunil Narine, Varun Chakaravarthy, Rinku Singh, Harshit Rana and Angkrish Raghuvanshi form the backbone of the team that combines experience with emerging talent.
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
November 16, 2025
