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Tim Southee influence: New Zealand players whom KKR can target in IPL 2026 auction

Harsh Adwani

Southee can influence KKR's NZ scouting for IPL 2026 [Source: @CricCrazyJohns/x.com]Southee can influence KKR's NZ scouting for IPL 2026 [Source: @CricCrazyJohns/x.com]

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have strengthened their support staff with the addition of Tim Southee as their new bowling coach. The star pacer will have a huge role to play as the new season arrives quickly. However, before that, the team has the task of rebuilding itself in the player auctions, and Southee could play a crucial role in that.

The New Zealander could vouch for his countrymen to be added to the squad. KKR have a few slots to fill in, and they could target some big Kiwi names in the upcoming auction. They also have the highest purse of ₹64.3 crores available at their disposal, which would come in handy.

Major slots KKR needs to fill

  • Opening batter
  • Wicketkeeper
  • Overseas pacer

One of the biggest slots that the franchise needs to fill is that of a wicketkeeper batter, who can potentially also open the batting for them. They have two great options available: Tim Seifert and Devon Conway.

Southee has played a lot of cricket with these two and will be eager to convince his colleagues to bid for them. Both Coway and Seifert can bat at the top of the order and keep the wickets as well. However, they are very different types of players, and KKR will have to figure out who they want on their side.

Conway is a stroke maker and builds partnerships at the top order, but he only keeps wickets part-time. Seifert, on the other hand, is a more aggressive option and is a full-time wicketkeeper. He can fit in really well with Sunil Narine at the top of the order. They would likely go after him at the auctions.

Tim Seifert vs Devon Conway T20I stats

T20 Stats Tim Seifert Devon Conway
Matches 77 62
Innings 72 56
Runs 1850 1675
Balls Faced 1298 1314
Highest Score 97 99
Average 29.84 37.22
Strike Rate 142.53 127.48
Not Outs 10 11
Fours 165 162
Sixes 91 44
Ducks 5 2
50s 12 12
100s 0 0

The Men in Purple and Gold also need an overseas pacer. They already have some great Indian options in Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, and Umran Malik, but they will look to balance them with an overseas option.

This is Southee’s department, and he could play a major role in influencing the team’s decision. There are some great Kiwi options to choose from. Kyle Jamieson, Adam Milne, and William O’Rourke can be looked at to fill in this gap.

Kyle Jamieson is a hit-the-deck bowler and can do really well on the Kolkata wicket, which offers assistance to the pacers. He will surely be on KKR’s radar for the upcoming season. 

Kyle Jamieson's IPL and T20I stats

Stat T20 IPL
Innings 23 13
Balls 481 258
Runs 738 416
Maidens 1 1
Wickets 21 14
Average 35.14 29.71
Economy 9.21 9.67
Strike Rate 22.9 18.43
Best Bowling (BBI) 3/8 3/41
Best Match (BBM) 3/8 3/41
4-wicket Hauls 0 0
5-wicket Hauls 0 0

Jamieson has a decent record in  T20 games, and he will be a great value addition for the three-time champions. Additionally, his ability to bat lower down the order will also make him a great option to choose. Jacob Duffy, Matt Henry, Michael Bracewell and Adam Milne could also be some options worth considering for the 2024 edition champions.