KKR will target these 3 foreign players in IPL 2026 auction, one is MS Dhoni’s favorite

By Samira Vishwas On Dec 6, 2025

3. Jonny Bairstow: KKR has released its wicketkeeper batsmen like Quinton de Kock and Rahmanullah Gurbaz, so now they need an explosive wicketkeeper. This is the reason why they can target English cricketer Jonny Bairstow in the auction. Let us tell you that last season Johnny played for Mumbai Indians as a replacement where he scored 85 runs in just 2 matches at an average of 42.50 and strike rate of 184.78. In IPL, he has 1674 runs in 52 matches at an average of 35 and strike rate of 146.07.

2.Matheesha Pathirana: Mathisha Pathirana, one of Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s favorite players, popularly known as Baby Malinga, will also be among those players whom KKR would like to buy in the mini auction and add to their squad. This Sri Lankan player has experience of 32 IPL matches in which he has taken 47 wickets. Pathirana bowls amazingly in the death overs, which is why KKR will have their eyes on him.

1. Cameron Green: Andre Russell, one of the biggest match winners of Kolkata Knight Riders, has taken retirement from IPL, so now the team has to find his replacement. This is the reason why they will target Australian all-rounder Cameron Green in the IPL auction. This 26-year-old all-rounder has played a total of 29 matches in IPL in which he scored 707 runs at an average of 41 and took 16 wickets in his name.

12 players of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) retained. 2 abroad Total expense: ₹60.70 | Purse left: ₹64.30

Ajinkya Rahane, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Anukul Roy, Harshit Rana, Manish Pandey, Ramandeep Singh, Rinku Singh, *Rovman Powell, *Sunil Narine, Umran Malik, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakraborty.