Kolkata Knight Riders all-rounder Cameron Green finds himself under early scrutiny in IPL 2026, with questions looming over his role and impact after the loss to Mumbai Indians. However, Australian head coach Andrew McDonald has backed the 26-year-old, stressing the weight of expectation that comes with being a highly valued all-rounder.
Green, who was bought by KKR for Rs 25.2 crore, I didn’t play in the season opener at the Wankhede, where the KKR attack struggled to defend 220. His absence as a bowling option was evident as MI comfortably chased down the target, exposing the lack of depth in the KKR attack.
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However, Andrew McDonald suggested the expectations around Green may be too high, while backing the 26-year-old to find his balance soon.
“There’s huge expectations in the IPL and there’s huge expectations with every all-rounder that makes the Australian team. It’s not unfair, but there’s an expectation around all-rounders that they’re going to contribute in a certain way,” McDonald told SEN Radio.
“It’s almost like they want him to average 45 with the bat and less than 30 with the ball. And there have been very few who have done that. I’m sure his career will go up… We know he’s good enough. He has to balance all these expectations and especially play all three formats, which is a big challenge for any cricketer,” he added.
WHY CAMERON GREEN IS NOT BOWLING FOR KKR?
Green’s absence with the ball in the opener led to questionsespecially after KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane hinted that the team’s combination will improve once he returns to bowling.
Later, Cricket Australia clarified that Green is currently managing a back niggle, which requires him to stay out of bowling for about 10 to 12 days. KKR management is fully aware of the situation and its workload is carefully managed.
This restriction has significantly affected KKR’s record against MI, especially with the team already missing key bowling options like Harshit Rana and Akash Deep, while Matheesha Pathirana remains unavailable.
Without Green’s extra overs, the KKR bowlers came under a lot of pressure. Varun Chakravarthy remained wicketless while Vaibhav Arora and Blessing Muzarabani were dismantled by the MI openers.
Green also had a modest outing with the bat, scoring 18 off 10 balls before being dismissed by Shardul Thakur.
Despite the stunning start, McDonald’s support underscores the belief that Green’s long-term value lies beyond immediate returns. For KKR, his return as a full-fledged all-rounder could be the key to redressing the balance in the coming games.
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
March 31, 2026 12:47 PM IST
