Matheesha Pathirana to Jamie Smith: 5 Players KKR Should Keep an Eye on at IPL 2026 Auction

Kolkata Knight Riders enter the IPL 2026 Auction with a ₹64.3 crore purse as they look to rebuild after a poor 2025 season. With 13 slots to fill, the team seeks upgrades across key areas, with Matheesha Pathirana and Finn Allen among the options.

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KKR has Highest Purse Ahead of IPL 2026 Auction

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will enter the IPL 2026 Auction with the highest purse of 64.3 crore and the 13 slots to fill ahead of the upcoming season of the tournament. The three-time IPL champions, who had a disappointing season this year, will look to revamp their squad with impactful signings by addressing areas of concern that cost them a play-offs berth in IPL 2025.

On that note, let’s take a look at five players KKR should keep an eye on at the IPL 2026 Auction in Abu Dhabi.

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1. Matheesha Pathirana

Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana is expected to attract bids from the franchises, and Kolkata Knight Riders will have a keen interest in bidding for him at the IPL 2026 Auction. Pathirana was released by the Chennai Super Kings ahead of the mini-auction. The young pacer was retained by CSK for INR 13 crore in the last IPL season, but did not have a significant impact as he could pick 13 wickets in 12 matches.

KKR need to strengthen their pace attack, especially for the death-overs bowling, and Matheesha Pathirina could be an ideal option for the five-time IPL champions. With Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, and Umran Malik as the frontline pacers, adding Pathirana would give KKR a specialist death-overs option who can deliver yorkers consistently and bring variety to the fast-bowling unit.

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2. Tanush Kotian

Another player Kolkata Knight Riders should keep an eye on is Mumbai all-rounder Tanush Kotian at the IPL 2026 Auction. Tanush was the net bowler for Punjab Kings in the last IPL season and has been listed as an uncapped player with a base price of INR 30 lakh at the IPL Auction. The all-rounder made his IPL debut for Rajasthan Royals in 2023, coming as a replacement for Adam Zampa. Thereafter, Tanush did not play in the IPL.

If KKR is looking for a spin-bowling all-rounder who can provide stability in the middle-order and deliver four overs consistently, Tanush Kotian could be a shrewd low-cost pick. The 27-year-old is a proven performer in the domestic circuit and has a reputation for delivering economic spells while contributing valuable runs in pressure situations.

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3. Finn Allen

New Zealand batter Finn Allen has been listed at a base price of INR 2 crore, the highest among eight brackets at the IPL 2026 Auction. Allen was part of RCB but went unsold in the 2025 auction. The 26-year-old has yet to make an IPL debut and will be hoping for a franchise to pick him at the auction. Kolkata Knight Riders can bid for the New Zealand opener after they released Quinton de Kock from the setup.

Finn Allen is an explosive batter in the T20Is and has a good record in the shortest format across all levels, amassing 4415 runs, including 4 centuries and 29 fifties, at an average of 28.85 and a strike rate of 173.81 in 161 matches. Allen could be an ideal option for the KKR if the franchise is looking for an explosive batter who can consistently deliver brisk starts and put pressure on the opposition bowlers

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4. Jamie Smith

Another player Kolkata Knight Riders can bid for is England wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith at the IPL Auction. Jamie Smith has been listed at a base price of INR 2 crore, and his growing reputation as the hard-hitting wicketkeeper-batter makes him a valuable overseas options for the franchises option for franchises seeking stability and firepower in the middle order.

Since the Kolkata Knight Riders do not have a wicketkeeping option in the team after releasing Quinton de Kock and Rahmanullah Gurbaz, the franchise can look at Jamie Smith as a potential first-choice wicketkeeper-batter who can not only fill the void behind the stumps but also strengthen the middle order with his aggressive stroke play.

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5. Shivam Mavi

Kolkata Knight Riders can have a look at bidding for Indian pacer Shivam Mavi. Mavi has been listed at a base price of INR 75 lakh, and was part of KKR for five seasons from 2018 to 2022 before moving to Lucknow Super Giants in 2023. However, the 27-year-old Uttar Pradesh bowler’s career was plagued by injuries, which have repeatedly kept him out of the domestic competition and IPL seasons.

Shivam Mavi played for India in 2023, but did not feature regularly thereafter due to injuries. Given his performance in the UPT20 League, where he picked 22 wickets in 10 matches, and in the ongoing Ranji Trophy season, picking 10 wickets in 4 matches so far, KKR can bring him on board as the back-up pace bowling option in the IPL 2026.