Cameron Green snapped up by KKR for INR 26.20 Cr in IPL 2026 auction (IPL/BCCI Photo) Cameron Green’s unavailability as a bowler, despite Kolkata Knight Riders acquiring his services for a whopping INR 25.20 crore in the IPL 2026 auctions – making him the highest-paid player in the edition – became a major talking point after KKR’s loss to Mumbai Indians on Sunday. He added fuel to the fire when skipper Ajinkya Rahane humiliated Cricket Australia when asked why Green did not play in the game.Rahane’s response – “the kind of question you have to ask Cricket Australia” – forced the Australian Cricket Board to issue a quick explanation, saying Green was suffering from a lower back injury and had to miss bowling for a short time.
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IPL 2026 should be an audition for India’s next T20I captain The CA statement further added that KKR were aware of the situation in advance and essentially shifted the onus back to Rahane and the KKR management for the comment the skipper made.
Auction, anticipation and confusion
Whether or not KKR knew about the situation before snapping up the 26-year-old in the auction is a separate matter entirely. But it was Green himself who declared in December that he would be available to bowl in the IPL. However, with CA making it clear that Green is still rebuilding his bowling loads in India and that it will be another 10-12 days before he can play in a match, it raises the question of whether KKR had to follow some sort of CA mandate regarding Green.Green underwent lower back surgery in 2024 and hasn’t bowled much since his return. When it came to the auction, Green was curiously placed in the batter category, further confirming the fact that the all-rounder would not be available as a full-fledged all-rounder.However, confusion arose when Green said that his induction as a clean batsman was a clerical error by his manager and that he was in fact available to bowl. Be that as it may, the fact that Green found himself in the initial set of players up for auction meant that most teams had their wallets full and went for the West Australian’s services, and he ended up with a staggering INR 25.20 million. If Green was listed as versatile and if he came in the auction at a much later stage, would teams be so hard on him?
KKR call or Cricket Australia check?
But clerical error or not, KKR picked him up from the batsmen’s draw so they obviously needed him, even if his bowling availability was a question mark at that point. And as Cricket Australia reiterates, KKR have been informed of the situation. So why was Rahane upset about Green not being able to play the ball in the game against Mumbai Indians? One possible explanation is that Green would have bowled in the nets at the KKR camp and Rahane and the team management might have deemed him fit enough to bowl in the match as well.However, here is the catch. Despite KKR acquiring Green’s services, the fact that he is a centrally contracted player with Cricket Australia means that the board has control over the player in terms of workload management and related matters. The franchise – KKR in this case – will have to go by what CA tells them to do with their players, even if they paid a hefty price to get his services.
It is not a new phenomenon in franchise cricket
And this is not the first such case in the IPL, or for that matter in any franchise league around the world. Mitchell Marsh, another Australian all-rounder who, like Green, was not considered fully fit to bowl, has played as a pure batsman in the IPL in the past.The Sri Lankan players who have been contracted by various IPL teams still have to wait for the NOC from Sri Lanka Cricket based on their fitness before they can join their IPL sides.Now, with Green, it’s basically a case of workload management versus the franchise looking to make the most of the player they bought, and KKR would have no choice but to look at CA for guidance on Green.
Ashwin, Chopra and the salary debate
This also raises a relevant question raised by R Ashwin a few days ago. If there are restrictions on Green’s bowling, the franchises – or the IPL – should be allowed to deduct a portion of the player’s salary as well. As he pointed out, “If he is not able to deliver his four overs, then you should have the right to cut their money, shouldn’t you? When you entered the IPL auction, you expected to bowl all four overs and you did bat.”After yesterday’s match, former cricketer and commentator Aakash Chopra also weighed in on Ashwin’s line, saying, “If you pay for an all-rounder and get a batsman in return, you should at least be entitled to a refund.
Balance issues and the bigger picture
Deduction or refund and all other technicalities aside, Green’s unavailability as a bowler has put KKR in a quagmire. For Rahane, it is more about the balance that Green brings to his side as an all-rounder. With an inexperienced bowling attack – essentially a second-string unit due to a slew of injuries and other issues that deprived them of a first-choice attack – KKR were unable to defend a grand total of 220 in their first game. Rahane’s frustration seemed to be more rooted in the fact that Green’s other bowling option would have given him more flexibility.
