Former Indian batter Mohammad Kaif reckons Andre Russell’s void can not be filled by Cameron Green ahead of IPL 2026. Green was roped in by the three-time champions for a whopping amount of INR 25.20 crore, making him the most expensive overseas player in IPL history.
Meanwhile, Green has scored 707 runs in 29 IPL matches at an impressive average of 41.59 and a strike rate of 153.70. The lanky pacer has also scalped 16 wickets in the lucrative tournament. But Green is currently not in the best of forms as he could not deliver for Australia in the T20 World Cup.
On the other hand, Andre Russell performed consistently for KKR but retired from IPL before the 2025 season.
Kaif said on his YouTube Channel, “Cameron Green is not even close to Andre Russell. He is a good batter, but the difference is huge when you compare with Russell.”
Kaif recalled that Russell always delivered with the bat and also provided crucial breakthroughs for the three-time champions.
He added, “No, no, 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 get to bowl four overs at times, but whenever he bowled, he took wickets. His void cannot be filled even by Cameron Green.”
The former UP batter believes co-owner Shah Rukh Khan must have got involved and the renowned actor would have played a role in roping Russell as a coach.
“I feel that they didn’t want to repeat what happened with Chris Gayle. Andre Russell still plays in different leagues and has not completely retired. I think there was a change in plan later on, as KKR felt that if this guy goes into the auction and does what Chris Gayle did after being released, they would be committing the same mistake twice.
“They later decided to talk to him and get him in the support staff. We all thought he was going to be released, but maybe Shah Rukh Khan got involved and spoke to him and requested him to take up a coaching role to help other players.”
Kolkata Knight Riders will begin their IPL 2026 campaign against the Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on 29th March.
