They missed a trick at first of the event

Former South Africa cricketer Shaun Pollock feels that Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) should have considered Finn Allen and Tim Seifert as their first-choice opening pairing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. The three-time winners have tried out both overseas openers, but they are yet to open the innings together for the franchise as they have done in international cricket.

KKR started their campaign with Finn Allen as their first-choice opener along with captain Ajinkya Rahane. Amid their struggling run, they have tested out a wide range of options, including Tim Seifert and Sunil Narine, but are yet to land on a convincing pairing.

Heading into the IPL 2026 season, Finn Allen and Tim Seifert had tasted success as a pair for New Zealand during the T20 World Cup 2026 campaign in India. However, with other overseas players to consider for the sake of the team combination and balance, they never went ahead with an all-overseas opening duo.

“They missed a trick at the start of the tournament. The way those two had played, you should have started the tournament with two of the New Zealanders at the top,” Shaun Pollock said on Cricbuzz.

Former India pacer Zaheer Khan believes that KKR should continue with Tim Seifert despite the lack of runs from him.

“I think they should stick with Seifert, if they have made the change now. We have seen in this format that if you stick with a guy long enough, if you believe in him, and if you believe in the process, at some stage, it rewards you, so I think KKR are also in that position. They started the season with Finn Allen, then they moved to Seifert,” Zaheer Khan said.

The explosive KKR opening batter has scored 19 runs in three matches, and is on the back of consecutive ducks, ahead of the upcoming clash against the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, on Sunday, May 3.

“Lost a lot of weight, came in with a focused mindset” – Shaun Pollock praises Heinrich Klaasen’s stellar IPL 2026 campaign ahead of SRH vs KKR IPL 2026 match

Shaun Pollock revealed how Heinrich Klaasen worked on his fitness and mindset after an underwhelming campaign with the Durban’s Super Giants in the SA20 2026, where he scored just 138 runs in nine matches at an average of 19.71.

He has turned a corner in IPL 2026, showcasing immaculate consistency. The wicket-keeper has failed to cross the 30-run mark only in one innings this season, when he was dismissed for 29 against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Jaipur recently.

“He’s been consistent, that’s been the key. With his experience, he’s absorbed a lot of pressure, and that is what you want from your man who you are paying as much as they are. Did not have the greatest SA10, to be brutally honest. He did a lot of training for two and a half months, lost a lot of weight, came in with a focused mindset. They probably want a little more of the other batters to step up and do a little bit better,” Shaun Pollock said.

“I think with that opening partnership that they have got, if you have got someone who can take the responsibility in the middle, and still has the ability to put teams under pressure, that is what you are after, because that gives freedom,” he added.

Heinrich Klaasen is the leading run-scorer among middle-order batters, having recorded 414 runs in nine matches at an average of 59.14 and a strike rate of 157.41.