Cameron Green (Image credit: BCCI/KKR) MUMBAI: Priced at Rs 25.20 crore, Australian all-rounder Cameron Green, the costliest overseas player in the IPL of all time, is at the center of controversy. When the Australian went unbeaten in Kolkata Knight Riders’ defeat of Mumbai Indians in a high-profile, high-scoring encounter at the Wankhede on Sunday, it raised questions as to why KKR spent so much on an all-rounder who was not called upon to bowl.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!After KKR failed to defend 220 and went down by six wickets, skipper Ajinkya Rahane raised the hackles further in his response to a question as to why Green did not bowl. “You have to ask Cricket Australia that question,” Rahane said, suggesting the board may have asked Green to avoid bowling.
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Angkrish Raghuvanshi only focused on team winsIn response, Cricket Australia clarified that Green had a lower back injury and that KKR had been fully informed. “Cameron has a lower back injury which is being addressed but requires him to stay away from bowling for a short period of time. Note that he did not play in his last Sheffield Shield match for Western Australia due to the same issue,” a CA spokesperson told TOI on Monday. “Cameron is currently rebuilding his bowling costs in India with a view to returning in approximately 10-12 days. He has been in contact with KKR and is fully aware of this information,” the spokesperson added.During the IPL 2026 auction in November last year, Green was registered as a batter specialist instead of an all-rounder, raising concerns about his fitness. Green later clarified that it was an administrative error by his manager and that he was eligible in the IPL, prompting a record bid for him. Green was part of Australia’s 2026 T20 World Cup campaign, playing just a few overs and only featuring as a batsman in the Sheffield Shield match after returning home. He bowled just 7.1 overs in the last eight matches.KKR used six bowlers on Sunday but all proved costly as MI chased down the target in 19.1 overs to win by six wickets. At the post-match presentation, Rahane admitted that Green’s non-bowling upset KKR’s balance.Former India opener Aakash Chopra criticized the situation and said it was unfair for the franchise to pay for an all-round machine and only get the batter. “If you pay for an all-rounder and get a batsman in return, you should at least be entitled to a refund,” Chopra wrote on X on Sunday.
