"Green could be upgraded version of Russell for KKR": Aakash Chopra

New Delhi [India], November 16 (ANI): Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra said that Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) should target Australian all-rounder Cameron Green in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction, adding that he could prove to be an "upgraded version" of Andre Russell, with whom the franchise parted ways ahead of the new season.
In one of the boldest moves in the history of the IPL, three-time champions KKR parted ways with their premier all-rounder Andre Russell, ending an association of over a decade between these two entities, that had earned Russell immense popularity in India and KKR two IPL trophies.
Russell, who won the IPL MVP award in 2015 and 2019 with the Purple and Gold, had been a central figure for KKR since joining the franchise in 2014. He was one of five players retained ahead of the 2025 mega auction for Rs 12 crore. But without him now, KKR enters the auction with a massive purse of Rs 64.3 crores, and they also have the option of regaining him at a much lower price.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra said about Green, "I think one must make an edit of Cameron Green in purple and publish it already. KKR need Cameron Green. They will control the auction now because they have a lot of money. The bowling will not get impacted by (Spencer) Johnson, (Anrich) Nortje, or Russell going away. You have four overs each from Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine. Green would also give you three or four overs. They could also buy more overseas bowlers. Maybe Green could come in as an upgraded version of Russell," he said on his YouTube channel.
As a part of KKR from 2014-25, Russell scored 2,593 runs in 133 matches and 111 innings at an average of 28.81 and a strike rate of over 175, with 12 fifties and a best score of 88* and also picked up 122 wickets at an average of 21.59, with a five-wicket haul and three four-fers to his name.
However, Green had a brilliant debut season with the Mumbai Indians (MI) in 2023, scoring 452 runs in 16 innings at an average of 50.22, with a strike rate of 160.28, including a century and two fifties and also picked up six wickets. Green was brought by MI for Rs 17.5 crores ahead of the 2023 season.
Later, RCB acquired him from MI in an all-cash deal ahead of the 2024 season, where he played a crucial role in their inspirational run to the playoffs, which saw them overcome a horror start to the tournament with just a win in the first eight matches, scoring 255 runs at an average of 31.38 with a strike rate of over 143 and taking 10 wickets at an average of 30.30 in 13 matches.
Green has been great in T20Is this year, with 258 runs in eight innings at an average of 43.00 and a strike rate of above 168, with three fifties and a best score of 56*. Notably, he has also started bowling ahead of the Ashes series against England at home, delivering a scorching spell for Western Australia on his return, hitting 135-140 clicks consistently.
Among other overseas names released are Moeen Ali, Anrich Nortje, Quinton de Kock, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, and Spencer Johnson. KKR have also made another big call by releasing Venkatesh Iyer, which, while significant, does not come as a complete surprise given his recent form.
The retained players of the three-time champions have a core group of players, which includes a blend of exciting young talent and experienced campaigners such as Ajinkya Rahane, Manish Pandey, Sunil Narine, Varun Chakaravarthy, Rinku Singh, Harshit Rana, and Angkrish Raghuvanshi.
Reaffirming the team's philosophy of building a cohesive squad by combining promising young players with established international stars, KKR's retentions highlight the franchise's continued commitment to nurturing talent while maintaining a strong competitive edge for the upcoming season.
Meanwhile, here is the list of retained players for KKR for the upcoming season:
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
Available Slots: 13 (including 6 Overseas slots). (ANI)