Kolkata Knight Riders’ bowling coach Tim Southee has said that Cameron Green is not far away from bowling again in IPL 2026. The Australian all-rounder is currently recovering from a lower back injury, but the team expects him to return as a proper all-rounder soon.
KKR spent ₹25.20 crore to bring Green
KKR spent a huge amount, ₹25.20 crore, to bring Green into the squad during the mini auction. The franchise sees the 26-year-old as someone who can fill the role left behind by the now-retired Andre Russell in the long run.
The situation around Green became a talking point after KKR’s first match of the season against Mumbai Indians. When asked why he didn’t bowl, captain Ajinkya Rahane told reporters to check with Cricket Australia. Soon after, Cricket Australia released a statement confirming that Green was dealing with an injury.
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Why is Green not bowling for KKR?
Now, Southee has cleared things up, saying that Green is already bowling in the nets and working towards being fully ready for matches. He also mentioned that KKR and Cricket Australia are regularly in touch to manage his recovery and workload.
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“Cameron's been bowling well, tracking obviously his rehab and giving himself back to being able to bowl in games. He'll continue to do that. We're in regular contact with Cricket Australia, and I'm sure we'll see Cameron bowling soon,” Southee said to the reporters at the pre-match press conference on Sunday.
“All of a sudden, you can't bowl in the game. That's why he has been bowling in the nets; he has been working on getting his match-fitness ready, and that takes time. There is constant touch between us and Cricket Australia. I'm sure it's not far before he starts bowling,” Southee added.
So far, Green hasn’t made much impact with the bat either. In the two matches he has played, he has scored only 20 runs.
KKR, as a team, have also struggled at the start of the 2026 season. The 2024 champions have lost both their opening matches, first to the Mumbai Indians and then to the Sunrisers Hyderabad at home.