Australia all-rounder Cameron Green is having a first-hand experience of the undesirable part of being a headline buy in an Indian Premier League (IPL) auction. Green simply hasn’t been able to get going this season and the record Rs 25.20 crore price tag for which he was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) has been mentioned almost every time he has fallen short thus far this season. The fact that Green was still recovering from an injury at the start of the season hasn’t helped him, neither the way in which that was revealed. Green hadn’t bowled for KKR in their opener against MI and when asked the reason for that, captain Ajinkya Rahane simply said: “Ask Cricket Australia”. What has also not helped his cause is that KKR have simply tanked in the early part of the season, remaining winless after five matches. “He has not had the start he would’ve liked but he’s obviously a quality player,” bowling coach Tim Southee said after their latest loss to the Chennai Super Kings at the Chepauk Stadium on Tuesday. “He has not had a lot of cricket leading to the IPL. Of all people, he’ll be the most disappointed himself the way he’s started. But he’s a great cricketer and I’m sure he’ll bounce back at some stage in this tournament.” Green had been underwhelming before the start of the IPL as well, partly due to the injury. Widely rated among the brightest all-round talents for Australia across formats, Green struggled with the bat throughout the summer Down Under. He couldn’t make a half-century across five Tests in the Ashes and seven T20Is in Pakistan and at the World Cup, before breaking that drought with a Sheffield Shield hundred for Western Australia just before the IPL. In the IPL, Green has scored just 56 runs in five matches. He has bowled just 24 balls, even sharing new ball duties against CSK, and has given 58 runs for one wicket.
‘He’ll be the most disappointed himself’: KKR bowling coach Southee on marquee signing Cameron Green’s horror start to IPL 2026
