IPL 2026: Ex-India cricketer Mohammed Kaif thinks that Cameron Green won't be able to replace Andre Russell for the Kolkata Knight Riders. The star Australian all-rounder was bought for a whopping Rs 25.20 crore by KKR during the mini-auction last year, and it will be interesting to see how he performs, as he failed to perform consistently in the Ashes Test series and the recently concluded T20 World Cup.
The Kolkata-based franchise didn't retain Russell, and he retired from the tournament shortly after. However, due to team changes, he was then appointed as KKR's power-hitting coach.
Building on the expectations, Kaif revealed that while Green is a talented player, it will take him a long time to fill the void left by Russell and perform at his level for KKR. Kaif also added that Rovman Powell, the other West Indies all-rounder in the side, also cannot replace Russell.
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“Cameron Green is not even close to Andre Russell. He is a good batter, but the difference is huge when you compare him with Russell,” Kaif was quoted as saying on his YouTube channel.
"Russell’s absence won’t be filled (by Powell). He contributed a lot with his batting and was also a golden arm. He didn’t always get to bowl four overs, but whenever he bowled, he took wickets. His void cannot be filled even by Cameron Green,” he said.
Role of Shah Rukh Khan
Kaif also emphasized the possible influence of KKR's owner, Shah Rukh Khan, suggesting that he may have played a small role in convincing Russell to remain with the team as part of the coaching staff.
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He explained, “I feel they didn’t want to repeat what happened with Chris Gayle. Andre Russell still plays in various leagues and hasn’t completely retired. I think there was a change in plan later on… KKR felt that if this guy goes into the auction and does what Chris Gayle did after being released, they would be making the same mistake twice," he added.
Continuing on the team's decision, he said, "So they later decided to talk to him and bring him into the support staff. We all thought he was going to be released, but maybe Shah Rukh Khan stepped in, spoke to him, and requested him to take on a coaching role to help other players,” he concluded.
The IPL 2026 is all set to start from March 28, and the Ajinkya Rahan-led side will lock horns with the Mumbai Indians during their tournament opener in Mumbai on 29th March.