Andre Russell has ended his IPL career and accepted the title of KKR’s ‘Power Coach’ before the 2026 IPL auction. Now, Kolkata Knight Riders has opened up the search for overseas all-rounders with strong capabilities in both batting and bowling as a replacement for Andre Russell. Russell was a real power in the Indian Premier League, winning the ‘Most Valuable Player’ Award twice (2015 & 2019). Whether it was with his big sixes or death bowling, he even turned the games, so the challenge is quite huge for SRK’s team management. The following are the three foreign players who will be coming up as the most possible candidates:
Cameron Green (Australia):
Cameron Green is an all-rounder with the most qualities similar to those of Russell. The player’s stature is tall and strong, and his power hitting can place him as a batter from the third to the corresponding sixth position in the batting order. In addition to that, he bowls seam at an impressive pace and can manage to bowl his overs in both the middle and death phases of an innings. This IPL centurion is a strong contender to be among the most expensive purchases in the auction. Green also has the experience of playing in the IPL for successful franchises like the Mumbai Indians and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Michael Bracewell (New Zealand)
Bracewell is not always at the top of the list, but he is nevertheless a useful all-rounder. He can provide the batting with contribution and the bowling department with some flexibility when needed. For the teams looking for balance and adaptability, he is a great choice. For an economic buy, this three-format Kiwi player is a handy option.
Dasun Shanaka (Sri Lanka)
Shanaka is a veteran and a versatile player. He can be a middle-order hitter and a bowler at the same time, which makes him ideal for teams that want to cover both areas of batting depth and bowling support. Shanaka, being the former Sri Lankan skipper, has the added advantage of experience in international cricket. It can be seen as an extra value since franchises will again be picking players from overseas who can handle pressure.
Why KKR Is Looking Beyond Russell?
The major impact of Russell’s departure is that the franchise requires a player who becomes both the floating batsman and the man who bowls pace in the last tight moments at the same time. KKR, with the highest purse of 64.30 Cr in this year’s IPL auction, is expected to go all-out behind the most-awaited and most-demanding player of the auction, Cameron Green, as the replacement for Andre Russell. But the IPL auction is an unpredictable affair. With 350 shortlisted players (240 Indian and 110 foreign) ready to go under the hammer, it is very uncertain to say the acquisition of Green is confirmed for the Knight Riders management. In that case, players like Bracewell and Shanaka, though they cannot match Russell’s impact precisely, can still be under KKR’s radar at the auction table.
IPL Auction 2026 is going to be a fun ride, just like the auctions of other seasons. All the team owners and management are looking to maintain the balance of their squads and make their teams ready for the toughest T20 league in the world.
