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In Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) opening encounter, their most expensive recruit, Australian all-rounder Cameron Green didn’t bowl a single over. After Mumbai Indians (MI) chased down the target of 221 with five balls to spare, KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane said that Green not bowling is a drawback as it hampers with the team combination. Rahane went on to say that presenter Ian Bishop should ‘ask Cricket Australia’ on why Green can’t bowl. The Australian cricket board took hours to respond to Rahane, saying that they have had an open communication with the Kolkata-based franchise.
"Cameron has a lower back injury which is being managed but requires him to abstain from bowling for a short period," a CA spokesperson said.
"Cameron is currently rebuilding his bowling loads in India with a view to return in around 10-12 days' time. KKR has been communicated with and is fully aware of this information."
KKR roped in Green for a whopping Rs 25.20 crore, making him the most expensive overseas player in IPL history. While he is an all-rounder, his manager’s goof-up led to him being registered in the batters’ category. However, in hindsight, it turned out to be true as Green isn’t fit to bowl yet.
However, Green bowled in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. He bowled two overs against Oman and 1.1 overs against Zimbabwe. Earlier, he bowled in the T20I series against Pakistan as well. In his previous competitive appearance in a Sheffield Shield match against New South Wales, he registered scores of 135 and 25 but didn't bowl.
When will Green be fit to bowl?
As per CA’s statement, Green is likely to continue playing as a pure batter for at least three more games. Their next three games are against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on April 2, 6 and 9 respectively. KKR's fifth game of the season is against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on April 14. It will be just over two weeks since CA's statement. It will be interesting to see if Green plays and rolls his arm against Ruturaj Gaikwad's CSK.
KKR’s overseas options
Against MI, Green batted at no.3 and contributed with a 10-ball 18. He became Shardul Thakur's second victim of the evening. At the top of the order, KKR also have the option to play Tim Seifert, Rachin Ravindra and even Rovman Powell. Also, Ravindra can come in handy with his left-arm spin, giving Rahane a bowling option. However, they may bank on Green's batting abilities longer.
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