Published: Dec 21, 2025, 09:31 PM (IST)
Edited: Dec 21, 2025, 09:31 PM (IST)
In the IPL 2026 auction, KKR acquired Australian all-rounder Cameron Green for ₹25.20 crore. Many cricket experts have questioned the hefty price tag for Cameron Green, believing it to be excessive, but KKR’s head coach has defended the decision. Head coach Abhishek Nayar stated that the team sees Cameron Green as a long-term prospect and was willing to pay any price for him.
Speaking on a program on JioStar, Abhishek Nayar said, “KKR was determined to get Green. I can’t say how high a price we were willing to pay for him, but we wanted to give it our best shot. If we had the money, we would spend it; there was no point in saving it.“
He said the idea was to do everything we could to get Green because he is a very important player for us. After Andre Russell left, we needed someone to take the franchise forward, so we decided that we had to get Cameron Green.
Nair said, KKR sees Green as a top-order batsman who can perform well throughout the season. He is a player who can score 500 runs for us, which is why we were so eager to acquire him. We know he has that potential; he can do well in the top order, and he can solve different problems for us.
Regarding not being able to buy Venkatesh Iyer, Abhishek Nayar said, “He has been a key player for us from the beginning. We tried to bring him back. We thought that other teams were saving money for different players, so we thought we could get him at a lower price. He is experienced and fits into our setup, but RCB always goes after our players, and this year they got him. Venkatesh has been fantastic for us over the past few years, and I wish him all the best for his new IPL journey.“
Venkatesh Iyer had been a part of KKR since 2021. KKR bought him for ₹23.75 crore in the IPL 2025 auction, but released him before IPL 2026. RCB then acquired him for ₹7 crore in the auction.
