Kolkata Knight Riders all-rounder Cameron Green finds himself under early scrutiny in IPL 2026, with questions emerging around his role and impact after the loss to Mumbai Indians. However, Australia head coach Andrew McDonald has backed the 26-year-old, highlighting the weight of expectations that come with being a high-value all-rounder.
Green, who was bought by KKR for Rs 25.2 crore, did not bowl in the season opener at Wankhede, where KKR’s attack struggled to defend 220. His absence as a bowling option was evident as MI chased down the target comfortably, exposing a lack of depth in KKR’s attack.
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However, Andrew McDonald suggested that expectations around Green might be too high, while backing the 26-year-old to find his balance soon enough.
“There’s huge expectation within the IPL, and there’s huge expectation with any all-rounder that shapes an Australian team. It’s not unfair, but there is an expectation around all-rounders that they contribute in a certain way,” McDonald said while speaking on SEN Radio.
“It’s almost like they want them to average 45 with the bat and average less than 30 with the ball. And there’s been very few that do that. I’m sure that his career will trend upwards…We know he’s good enough. He’s just got to balance out all those expectations, and in particular, playing all three formats, which is a significant challenge for any cricketer,” he added.
WHY IS CAMERON GREEN NOT BOWLING FOR KKR?
Green’s absence with the ball in the opener led to questions, especially after KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane hinted at the team combination improving once he resumes bowling.
It was later clarified by Cricket Australia that Green is currently managing a back niggle, which requires him to stay away from bowling for around 10 to 12 days. The KKR management is fully aware of the situation, and his workload is being managed carefully.
This restriction significantly impacted KKR’s balance against MI, particularly with the team already missing key bowling options like Harshit Rana and Akash Deep, while Matheesha Pathirana remains unavailable.
Without Green’s additional overs, KKR’s bowlers came under heavy pressure. Varun Chakravarthy went wicketless, while Vaibhav Arora and Blessing Muzarabani were taken apart by MI’s openers.
Green also had a modest outing with the bat, scoring 18 off 10 balls before being dismissed by Shardul Thakur.
Despite the underwhelming start, McDonald’s backing underlines the belief that Green’s long-term value lies beyond immediate returns. For KKR, his return as a full-fledged all-round option could be key to restoring balance in the coming games.
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