Former India opener Virender Sehwag has sent a blunt message to the Kolkata Knight Riders after their loss to the Chennai Super Kings on Tuesday at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, urging them to admit their auction blunder in signing Australia all-rounder Cameron Green for INR 25.20 crore. The Australian was dismissed for a duck in the match.
KKR have yet to win a game in IPL 2026
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Green became the most expensive overseas buy in IPL history when KKR spent nearly one-third of their purse to secure his services. However, in five matches so far, he has managed just 56 runs and one wicket, having not bowled in the first three games while managing a back injury.
Speaking to Cricbuzz, Sehwag urged KKR to accept their mistake and drop Green for the next game. His comment came amid Kolkata incurring a winless run after five matches this season.
“If you had that much money and still bought these players, spending ₹25-27 crore on Cameron Green, then now he has become a liability. If you play him, he is not performing. If you don’t play him, people will question why you spent so much money and then benched him. But there is no shame in accepting a mistake. Just admit it, that you made a mistake by spending so much on Cameron Green. Drop him and try someone else. His bowling is not contributing much either, and it’s not like his presence is making the team combination look great because of both his batting and bowling," he said.
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The 47-year-old added that KKR could consider bringing in Tim Seifert in place of Green, with Finn Allen opening alongside him, while captain Ajinkya Rahane moves to No. 3.
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The 47-year-old added that KKR could consider bringing in Tim Seifert in place of Green, with Finn Allen opening alongside him, while captain Ajinkya Rahane moves to No. 3.
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“So I feel you should bench him and play Tim Seifert instead. Recently, you saw him perform well for New Zealand. Those same two openers played aggressive innings. Bring both of them in and let them open. Then bring Ajinkya Rahane at number three, Powell at four, and push Raghavanshi further down. That way, if Rahane gets out, Raghavanshi can come in, and if someone else gets out, then Powell or Rinku can come in," he added.
KKR’s next game is against the Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad on Friday.
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.
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Home/Cricket/‘Accept the mistake’: Virender Sehwag tells KKR to confront blunder as IPL 2026 crisis reaches breaking point
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