KKR go all guns blazing at IPL 2026 auction, land Cameron Green in record deal

Headlining KKR’s acquisitions were marquee signings Cameron Green, Matheesha Pathirana and Mustafizur Rahman, alongside key additions such as Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, and returning faces Tim Seifert and Rahul Tripathi. The franchise’s auction strategy reflected depth, versatility and long-term planning.

KKR went all out for Australian all-rounder Cameron Green, winning a bidding battle against Chennai Super Kings to secure him for ₹25.20 crore, making him the most expensive overseas player in IPL auction history.

Renowned for his power-hitting, Green has scored 964 runs in 63 T20 matches, including 707 runs across two IPL seasons at a strike rate of 153.70, with an unbeaten century as his highest IPL score.

The Knight Riders also secured Sri Lankan pace sensation Matheesha Pathirana for ₹18 crore, fending off competition from Lucknow Super Giants. An IPL winner in 2023, the 22-year-old has taken 136 wickets in 101 T20 matches, including 47 wickets in 32 IPL games, adding raw pace and death-overs expertise to KKR’s bowling attack.

Expressing his excitement, Green said, “I’m excited to be part of KKR for this year’s IPL — to get down to Eden Gardens and experience the atmosphere.” Pathirana echoed similar sentiments, stating, “I’m very excited to join the Purple and Gold army. I can’t wait to work with Dwayne Bravo and the rest of the staff.”

Another IPL winner, Mustafizur Rahman, was roped in for ₹9.2 crore. The left-arm seamer, who debuted in the IPL in 2016, has claimed 65 wickets in 60 matches and brings valuable experience to the squad.

KKR further strengthened their batting depth by acquiring New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter Finn Allen at his base price of ₹2 crore. Known for his explosive strokeplay, Allen has amassed 4,431 runs in 162 T20 matches at a strike rate of 173.90. He will be joined by compatriot Rachin Ravindra, also signed for ₹2 crore, bolstering the top-order options.

Familiar faces returned to the setup, with Tim Seifert rejoining for ₹1.50 crore and top-order batter Rahul Tripathi returning for ₹75 lakh. Local pacer Akash Deep was also picked up for ₹1 crore, adding depth to the Indian fast-bowling unit.

Reaffirming their commitment to nurturing domestic talent, KKR signed several uncapped Indian players, including Tejasvi Singh (₹3 crore), Kartik Tyagi (₹30 lakh), Prashant Solanki (₹30 lakh), Sarthak Ranjan (₹30 lakh) and Daksh Kamra (₹30 lakh).

Tejasvi impressed in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, including an unbeaten 53 off 19 balls against Karnataka, while Sarthak scored 449 runs in nine innings in the Delhi Premier League. Tyagi, part of India’s U-19 World Cup-winning squad in 2020, has taken 26 wickets in 36 matches, while Solanki topped the wicket charts in the Maharashtra Premier League with 13 scalps.

Summing up the auction, head coach Abhishek Nayar said, “We are happy with how the auction played out, especially in getting the players we had clearly identified at prices that worked for us. There was a lot of thought behind targeting domestic talent — players who bring flexibility, experience and strong recent performances. It highlights the depth of Indian domestic cricket and our confidence in these players to step up.”

KKR Squad for IPL 2026

New players: Cameron Green (₹25.2 crore), Matheesha Pathirana (₹18 crore), Mustafizur Rahman (₹9.2 crore), Tejasvi Singh (₹3 crore), Finn Allen (₹2 crore), Rachin Ravindra (₹2 crore), Tim Seifert (₹1.5 crore), Akash Deep (₹1 crore), Rahul Tripathi (₹75 lakh), Kartik Tyagi (₹30 lakh), Prashant Solanki (₹30 lakh), Sarthak Ranjan (₹30 lakh), Daksh Kamra (₹30 lakh)

Retained players: Ajinkya Rahane, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Anukul Roy, Harshit Rana, Manish Pandey, Ramandeep Singh, Rinku Singh, Rovman Powell, Sunil Narine, Umran Malik, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakaravarthy