A 25.20 Crore Fumble? Will Cameron Green’s IPL 2026 Price Give KKR A Headache

Cameron Green for KKR in IPL 2026 (AFP)

On Sunday, Australian all-rounder Cameron Green made his debut for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the ongoing IPL 2026 against Mumbai Indians. However, bought for a whopping INR 25.20 crore, the highest ever in the history of the league for a foreign player, at the IPL 2026 mini auction, Cameron Green drew attention for the wrong reason.

KKR all-rounder Green did not bowl a single ball in the game, affecting the team’s combination against the five-time IPL winners, MI. It is worth noting that despite scoring 220 runs at the Wankhede Stadium, KKR exhaustively lost the game, with the home side completing the chase with five wickets and five balls to spare.

Why did Cameron Green not bowl in the IPL 2026 MI vs KKR match?

After the match, KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane was asked about why Cameron Green was not bowled, to which he replied: "Ask Cricket Australia."

Rahane's reply was followed by a response from Cricket Australia (CA) earlier today, stating that Green has been recovering from a minor lower-back problem, with the timeline of his return to bowling communicated to the IPL 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," the spokesperson explained.

25.20 Crore for Cameron Green, a fumble or strategic move? 

It is worth noting that Cam Green, who is an all-rounder and bowls for his national side, Australia, was bought for a massive price of Rs. 25.2 crore in the IPL 2026 mini auction, but didn’t bowl a single ball. Green has shown his bowling abilities for his former IPL sides, Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), in the IPL. 

Cameron Green bowling stats for Australia in T20Is

Cameron Green bowling stats in IPL

Also read: Why Did Ajinkya Rahane Walk Off Mid-Match During MI vs KKR Clash?

Nonetheless, when his 2026 IPL team, KKR, needed his bowling prowess, the 26-year-old could not help. 

According to experts and fans alike, a crucial reason for KKR's defeat was their weakened bowling attack. In the build-up to the new season, the team lost the services of pacers Mustafizur Rahman, Harshit Rana and Akash Deep. 

While Mustafizur had to be withdrawn from the squad following a directive from the BCCI, Rana and Akash suffered injuries that ruled them out for the entire season. There is also uncertainty over when Sri Lankan speedster Matheesha Pathirana will be joining the squad.

As a result, KKR took the field against MI with a bowling attack that comprised Vaibhav Arora, Blessing Muzarbani, Kartik Tyagi, Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy. Notably, of these five bowlers, only Narine has played 190 IPL games, with Chakravarthy second at 85.

Now, to answer whether KKR’s 25.20 Crore purchase will be a headache for the Knights or not?  

Green's limited bowling workload in recent outings has been notable. Despite being seen bowling at full tilt in training two days before the match, and again on the practice pitch before the game (although he did not mark his run-up), Green did not feature with the ball. 

Across his last eight competitive appearances, he has bowled only 7.1 overs, including none in his most recent Sheffield Shield game for Western Australia before departing for the IPL.

With their front-line bowlers sidelined, KKR will be hopeful about Cameron Green’s bowling. If and when Green bowls, he will add the much-needed balance for Ajinkya Rahane’s IPL side, bringing a handy pace option.

Former India player demands a refund for the Knight Riders

If Kolkata Knight Riders recruit Cameron Green and he does not bowl in the Indian Premier League, the franchise should, at the very least, be eligible for a refund, said an angry Aakash Chopra after the team’s match against Mumbai Indians. 

"If you pay for an all-rounder and get a batsman in return... you should be, at the very least, eligible for a refund," posted Chopra on X, referring to Green.

Incidentally, Green had registered as a batter ahead of the IPL 2026 auction, but later confirmed that it was a mistake made by his manager and that he would be available to bowl.

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