IPL 2026: ‘Cam Green is not even close to Andre Russell’ – Ex-India cricketer dismisses KKR’s big-buy replacement

After being released by KKR ahead of the auction, Russell announced his retirement from the IPL but has since returned to the franchise as its "power coach."

Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif believes Australian all-rounder Cameron Green cannot fill the shoes of Andre Russell in the Kolkata Knight Riders setup. Following the retirement of the veteran all-rounder and match-winner, KKR attempted to fill the void by going all out for Green, securing the Australian for a staggering ₹25.2 crore during the mini-auction ahead of the Indian Premier League 2026 season.

Kaif acknowledged that Green is a capable batter but insisted there is no comparison between the two, adding that the Australian does not come close to the Caribbean powerhouse.

“Cameron Green is not even close to Andre Russell. He is a good batter, but the difference is huge when you compare him with Russell,” Kaif said on his YouTube channel.

After bagging a big contract, Green has been the centre of discussions with many former players giving their verdict on him. Recently, former Australia captain Greg Chappell has questioned Green’s performance, while ex-India cricketer Subramaniam Badrinath slammed KKR for chasing the Western Australian and buying him for a hefty sum.

While KKR do have Rovman Powell as an alternative to Green, someone who could be tasked with batting lower down the order and finishing games, but Kaif believes Russell’s absence will not be filled by his compatriot either. “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 always get to bowl four overs, but whenever he bowled, he took wickets. His void cannot be filled even by Cameron Green,” Kaif added.

After being released by KKR ahead of the auction, the Jamaican all-rounder announced his retirement from the IPL but has since returned to the franchise as its “power coach.”

Kaif suggested that team co-owner and Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan may have played a role in keeping Russell involved with the team even after his IPL retirement.

“I feel they didn’t want to repeat what happened with Chris Gayle. Andre Russell still plays in various leagues and hasn’t completely retired. I think there was a change in plan later on… KKR felt that if this guy goes into the auction and does what Chris Gayle did after being released, they would be making the same mistake twice. So they later decided to talk to him and bring him into the support staff. We all thought he was going to be released, but maybe Shah Rukh Khan stepped in, spoke to him, and requested him to take on a coaching role to help other players,” Kaif said.

Across 13 IPL seasons, Russell scored 2,651 runs in 140 matches at a staggering strike rate of 174.18.

Stay updated with the latest sports news across Cricket, Football, Chess, and more. Catch all the action with real-time live cricket score updates and in-depth coverage of ongoing matches.

Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif believes Australian all-rounder Cameron Green cannot fill the shoes of Andre Russell in the Kolkata Knight Riders setup. Following the retirement of the veteran all-rounder and match-winner, KKR attempted to fill the void by going all out for Green, securing the Australian for a staggering ₹25.2 crore during the mini-auction ahead of the Indian Premier League 2026 season.

Kaif acknowledged that Green is a capable batter but insisted there is no comparison between the two, adding that the Australian does not come close to the Caribbean powerhouse.

“Cameron Green is not even close to Andre Russell. He is a good batter, but the difference is huge when you compare him with Russell,” Kaif said on his YouTube channel.

After bagging a big contract, Green has been the centre of discussions with many former players giving their verdict on him. Recently, former Australia captain Greg Chappell has questioned Green’s performance, while ex-India cricketer Subramaniam Badrinath slammed KKR for chasing the Western Australian and buying him for a hefty sum.

While KKR do have Rovman Powell as an alternative to Green, someone who could be tasked with batting lower down the order and finishing games, but Kaif believes Russell’s absence will not be filled by his compatriot either. “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 always get to bowl four overs, but whenever he bowled, he took wickets. His void cannot be filled even by Cameron Green,” Kaif added.

After being released by KKR ahead of the auction, the Jamaican all-rounder announced his retirement from the IPL but has since returned to the franchise as its “power coach.”

Kaif suggested that team co-owner and Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan may have played a role in keeping Russell involved with the team even after his IPL retirement.

“I feel they didn’t want to repeat what happened with Chris Gayle. Andre Russell still plays in various leagues and hasn’t completely retired. I think there was a change in plan later on… KKR felt that if this guy goes into the auction and does what Chris Gayle did after being released, they would be making the same mistake twice. So they later decided to talk to him and bring him into the support staff. We all thought he was going to be released, but maybe Shah Rukh Khan stepped in, spoke to him, and requested him to take on a coaching role to help other players,” Kaif said.

Across 13 IPL seasons, Russell scored 2,651 runs in 140 matches at a staggering strike rate of 174.18.