Mumbai, March 25: Former Indian cricket star Mohammad Kaif believes that Cameron Green cannot fill the void left by Andre Russell in the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Kaif pointed out that Green’s performances in the Ashes and T20 World Cup were not up to par, making his upcoming performance in IPL 2026 crucial.
Kaif stated on his YouTube channel, “Green may be very talented, but it will take him a long time to have the same impact on the Kolkata franchise as Russell did. He is not even close to Russell’s level. While he is a good batter, the difference is significant when compared to Russell.”
He added, “Russell contributed immensely with his batting and was a golden arm in bowling. He didn’t always get the chance to bowl four overs, but whenever he did, he took wickets. Cameron Green cannot fill that gap.”
The former Indian player also did not consider West Indies all-rounder Rovman Powell, who is part of KKR, as a suitable replacement for Russell.
Kaif remarked, “I think KKR did not want to repeat what happened with Chris Gayle. Andre Russell is still active in several leagues and has not fully retired. I believe there was a change in plans later on. KKR felt that if this player went into the auction and performed like Gayle did after being released, they would make the same mistake again. That’s why they decided to talk to him and bring him into the support staff. Shah Rukh Khan played a key role in this.”
Andre Russell announced his retirement from the league ahead of IPL 2026, after which KKR appointed him as a ‘power coach.’
KKR will play their first match of IPL 2026 against the Mumbai Indians at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 29.
Arpit Soni has had a passion for journalism since the beginning. Now he has turned this hobby into his profession. Arpit, who is a resident of Udaipur, enjoys editing and writing news related to journalism. He has worked as a Senior Content Producer in several important roles at Bhaskar, Patrika, Pratahkal, Punjab Kesari, and Times. Arpit completed his schooling in Udaipur and Jaipur. He has been working in the media industry for more than 10 years, and his journey is still continuing. ✍️📚
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