Former Indian cricketer Kris Srikkanth has questioned Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)’s decision to sign Mathisha Pathirana in the IPL 2026 auction held in Abu Dhabi on December 17. Srikkanth said that Pathirana joining KKR was expected given the influence of Dwayne Bravo in the team management.
After being released by Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Pathirana attracted interest from several teams before Kolkata Knight Riders secured him. He missed the initial part of the IPL 2025 season while recovering from the injury. The Sri Lankan fast bowler took 13 wickets in 12 matches at an economy rate above 10.
In 2024, Pathirana took 13 wickets at an economy of 7.68 in only six matches, before a hamstring injury ruled him out of the remainder of the season. Overall, he has taken 47 wickets at an economy rate of 8.68 and an average of less than 22. He will be playing for a franchise other than CSK for the first time in his IPL career.
Mathiesha Pathirana is a big risk – Kris Srikkanth questions KKR’s strategy
Kris Srikkanth questioned Kolkata Knight Riders’ decision to invest heavily in Mathiesha Pathirana. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Srikanth said that the high bid and the final price surprised him. However, he added that the signing of Mustafizur Rahman provides cover.
Srikkanth said, “Mathisha Pathirana is a big risk. He is a hit-and-miss bowler. But KKR have made a smart move by buying Mustafizur Rahman as well. They have got Pathirana’s backup with Mustafizur. It was expected that Bravo’s presence would lead Pathirana to KKR. But I was surprised by his price and the number of teams going for him.”
Many players are dropped after a bad season – Kris Srikkanth
Srikkanth also expressed concern over Lucknow Supergiants bidding close to ₹18 crore for Mathisha Pathirana. He said that many players lose opportunities after just one bad season and gave examples such as Jake Fraser-McGurk and Devon Conway.
Srikkanth further said, “LSG kept buying him till Rs 18 crore. Is he such a big bowler to go for Rs 18 crore? His performance in the last IPL season was very average. Many players are out after a bad season. A player like Fraser McGurk has not performed well in a season and he is not in this position either. Same with Devon Conway.”
The purchase of Cameron Green was as expected” – Chris Srikkanth
Kris Srikkanth said Kolkata Knight Riders’ decision to spend big on Cameron Green was a straightforward one. He said that Green was expected to fetch a price of ₹25.20 crore in the IPL 2026 auction. Srikkanth said that KKR will use Green at the top of the order.
Srikkanth said, “Cameron Green was as expected. The expectation for him was Rs 25 crore and he deserves it. The good thing for Green and KKR is that he will bat at his favorite position. He will play in the top three consistently and will not go to 4 and 5.”
Knight Riders included 13 players in their team in the auction. They signed Cameron Green for ₹25.20 crore, while Mathisha Pathirana was their second most expensive deal. KKR also signed Bangladesh bowler Mustafizur Rahman for ₹9.20 crore, leaving only ₹45 lakh in their purse when the auction ended.
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