Former India leg-spinner Anil Kumble has suggested a strategic shift for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the upcoming IPL 2026 season, advocating for Australian all-rounder Cameron Green to open the batting. This proposition comes at the expense of an existing star in the KKR lineup.
Kumble, speaking on JioStar, believes that Green would be most effective at the top of the order, leveraging his T20 international record of 521 runs in 21 matches, averaging 32.56 with a strike rate of 160.30, including six fifties. Kumble highlighted Green's potential to maximize his impact early in the innings. "I would like to see him play the opening slot for KKR. I think, in terms of a finisher, KKR already have a decent line-up. They have Rinku Singh, for instance," Kumble stated.
KKR secured Green for a hefty sum of Rs 25.2 crore at the IPL 2026 Auction, making him the most expensive overseas buy and the third-most expensive purchase in IPL history. This substantial investment underscores the franchise's high expectations for the Australian all-rounder. In addition to Green, KKR also acquired New Zealand's Finn Allen for Rs 2 crore and Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana for Rs 18 crore.
While Kumble didn't explicitly name the player Green should replace, he alluded to the possibility of Sunil Narine, a long-time KKR opener, moving down the order. "Sunil Narine could drop down to No. 6 or No. 7 or even act as a floater," Kumble suggested. This indicates a potential restructuring of KKR's batting lineup to accommodate Green's strengths.
Green has demonstrated his all-round capabilities in previous IPL seasons, playing for Mumbai Indians (MI) in 2023 and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in 2024. Across 29 IPL matches, he has scored 707 runs at an average of 41.59 and a strike rate of 153.70, including one century and two half-centuries. He has also taken 16 wickets. In the 2023 season with MI, Green scored 452 runs at a strike rate of 160 and took 6 wickets. He also brings a wealth of international experience, having debuted for Australia in 2020 and becoming a key player in all formats.
KKR's retained players for IPL 2026 include Ajinkya Rahane, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Anukul Roy, Harshit Rana, Manish Pandey, Ramandeep Singh, Rinku Singh, Rovman Powell, Sunil Narine, Umran Malik, Vaibhav Arora, and Varun Chakaravarthy. The team has released several players, including Andre Russell (who has retired from IPL to become a power coach), Anrich Nortje, and Quinton de Kock.
Kumble also noted that KKR's underperformance in the previous season wasn't due to a lack of finishing options but rather the team's inability to utilize their resources effectively. He pointed out the absence of Shreyas Iyer and Mitchell Starc as contributing factors. By strategically positioning Green at the top, Kumble believes KKR can optimize their batting lineup and capitalize on Green's aggressive style and scoring ability.
The IPL 2026 auction saw significant activity, with several uncapped Indian players also fetching high prices. Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma were acquired by Chennai Super Kings for Rs 14.20 crore each. Mustafizur Rahman joined KKR for Rs 9.20 crore, while Gujarat Titans secured Jason Holder for Rs 7 crore. These acquisitions reflect the teams' focus on strengthening their squads with both established and emerging talents.
