Mumbai: Australian all-rounder Cameron Greene25.20 crores at Rs. IPLThe most expensive foreign player of all time, is at the center of a controversy. When Australia did not bowl an over in Kolkata Knight Riders’ loss to Mumbai Indians in Sunday’s high-profile, high-scoring clash at the Wankhede, it raised the question of why KKR had so much bounced on an all-rounder who was not being called upon to bowl.Go beyond limits with our YouTube channel. Subscribe now!After KKR failed to defend 220 and fell by six wickets, skipper Ajinkya Rahane raised more hackles as to why Green did not bowl. “That’s a question you need to ask Cricket Australia,” Rahane said, hinting that the board might have told Green to avoid bowling.
In response, Cricket Australia clarified that Green had a lower back injury and that KKR had been fully informed about it. “Cameron has a lower back injury, which is being managed but requires him to abstain from bowling for a short period of time. You will note that he did not bowl for Western Australia in his last Sheffield Shield game due to the same issue,” a CA spokesperson told TOI on Monday. “Cameron is currently rebuilding his bowling load in India to return in about 10-12 days. KKR has been communicated with and is fully aware of this information,” the spokesperson added.During the IPL 2026 auction in November last year, Green was registered as a specialist batsman instead of an all-rounder, raising concerns about his fitness. Green later clarified that it was a cognitive error by his manager and that he was fit to bowl in the IPL, leading to a record bid for him. Green was part of Australia’s 2026 T20 World Cup campaign, where he bowled only a few overs and was the only batsman in the Sheffield Shield match on his return home. In his last eight matches, he has bowled just 7.1 overs.On Sunday, KKR used six bowlers but all proved costly as MI chased down the target to win by six wickets in 19.1 overs. In the post-match presentation, Rahane admitted that KKR’s lack of green balls had thrown KKR off balance.Former India opener Akash Chopra criticized the situation, saying it was unfair for a franchise to pay an all-rounder and receive only a batsman. “If you pay for an all-rounder and get a batsman in return, you should at least be eligible for a refund,” Chopra wrote on X on Sunday.
