KKR’s strongest playing XI and impact player options after IPL 2026 auction with Matheesha Pathirana and Cameron Green

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) were, as expected, one of the most active franchises in the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) auction on Tuesday, December 16. Armed with the biggest purse and the most cap space, the three-time IPL champions made a series of high-profile signings.

Cameron Green and Matheesha Pathirana were their standout signings in the overseas department, while Mustafizur Rahman also got a big payday. The rest of the KKR team consisted of talented Indian stars and backups from various departments.

KKR Squad for IPL 2026: Ajinkya RahaneAngkrish Raghuvanshi, Anukul Roy, Harshit Rana, Manish Pandey, Ramandeep Singh, Rinku Singh, Rovman Powell, Sunil Narine, Umran MalikVaibhav Arora, Varun Chakaravarthy, Rahul Tripathi (INR 75 lakh), Finn Allen (INR 2 Cr), Tejasvi Singh (INR 3 Cr), Tim Seifert (INR 1.50 Cr), Cameron Green (INR 25.20 Cr), Sarthak Ranjan (INR 30 lakh), Raksh Ravindra (INR 2 Cr), Prashant Solanki (INR 30 lakh), Matheesha Pathirana (INR 18 Cr), Kartik Tyagi (INR 30 lakh), Mustafizur Rahman (INR 9.20 Cr), Akash Deep (INR 1 Cr).

Interestingly, the Knight Riders have a lot of combinations they can pull off during the upcoming campaign. Which would be the best?

On that note, here are KKR’s strongest playing XI and impact player options after the IPL 2026 auction.

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Openers: Tim Seifert (week) and Sunil Narine

KKR have plenty of options to open the batting. Ajinkya Rahane, Tim Seifert, Finn Allen, Sunil Narine and Rachin Ravindra are all at their best at the top of the order. Even Cameron Green, Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Rahul Tripathi are best used in top-notch roles that expose them to the power play.

Honestly, it’s hard to figure out which combination is the best in Kolkata. Seifert has been in great form in 2025, so he should have an edge over Allen for the overseas wicket-keeper slot. Ravindra, meanwhile, is expected to be a prop.

So Narine and Seifert could be KKR’s best combination at the top, although that would mean Rahane, Raghuvanshi and Green being used in sub-optimal roles. The West Indian all-rounder wouldn’t offer much with the bat anywhere else, and while his early returns have dipped in recent times, the franchise might have to take this point.

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Middle order: Ajinkya Rahane (c), Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Cameron Green, Rinku Singh, Ramandeep Singh

Rahane is clearly suspect against spin, so he is ideally used at No. 3. The franchise skipper will need to ensure he delivers at this point through the middle overs, where oppositions have managed to match him.

Raghuvanshi faces a similar situation. The young batsman is not in great form right now, and his inclusion at No.4 would not only expose him to spin, but also push Green into a role outside the top four. Both scenarios are not ideal, but it is hard to see how KKR can formulate a better batting combination that minimizes the weaknesses.

Rinku Singh and Ramandeep Singh will be Kolkata’s main finishing options in IPL 2025. Rovman Powell, opposite Seifert and Allen, is an option, but that would require the team to possess Tejasvi Singh as a wicketkeeper. KKR may perhaps pick Tejasvi as a batsman if he is in better nick than Raghuvanshi, with Green thus getting a role in the top four.

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Bottom order: Harshit Rana, Matheesha Pathirana, Varun Chakaravarthy, Vaibhav Arora

KKR had a fairly established bowling combination during IPL 2025, and many of the same players will continue to reprise those roles. Harshit Rana and Vaibhav Arora formed a decent pace attack, and the Indian duo will also have Matheesha Pathirana’s death bowling pedigree.

Varun Chakaravarthy has led the spin unit well alongside Narine. The duo will be key at the Eden Gardens, although it remains to be seen how the batting unit will fare in spin-friendly conditions.

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Impact Player Options: Anukul Roy, Rahul Tripathi, Umran Malik

Anukul Roy has been in sensational form during the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. In the absence of Venkatesh Iyer, KKR need a left-hander in the middle order, and the all-rounder could plug that hole.

Rahul Tripathi and Umran Malik are other impact player options who may come in depending on the conditions and the draw. Anukul, however, should be the favourite.