Why Cameron Green Did Not Bowl vs MI: Rahane Points Finger at Cricket Australia After IPL 2026 Loss
Cameron Green did not bowl a single over for Kolkata Knight Riders against Mumbai Indians in IPL 2026 Match 2, and captain Ajinkya Rahane has now revealed why, pointing directly at Cricket Australia for not clearing the Rs 25.20 crore signing to bowl.
KKR lost the match by 6 wickets as IPL 2026 served up its first major controversy of the season.
Cameron Green: Rs 25.20 Crore and Zero Overs Bowled
Green was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders for Rs 25.20 crore at the IPL 2026 auction, making him one of the most expensive purchases of the entire cycle. The expectation was clear: a genuine pace-bowling all-rounder who could contribute with both bat and ball.
Against Mumbai Indians, he came in and scored 18 off 10 balls with the bat. Useful, but not what KKR paid that kind of money for. When it came to bowling, Green did not send down a single delivery.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Player | Cameron Green |
| KKR Purchase Price | Rs 25.20 crore |
| Runs Scored vs MI | 18 off 10 balls |
| Overs Bowled vs MI | 0 |
| Reason | Not cleared to bowl by Cricket Australia |
What Rahane Said: “Ask Cricket Australia”
After the match, Ajinkya Rahane was asked directly why Green did not bowl. His answer was blunt and pointed the finger squarely at Cricket Australia.
Rahane confirmed Green has not yet been fully cleared to bowl following his recovery from a back injury. When pushed further on the issue, Rahane said the question needed to be directed at Cricket Australia, not KKR.
He did add that he hopes Green starts bowling soon, and that the team combination will look different once that happens. He also pointed to positives from the game, noting Kartik Tyagi bowled well on return and the batting unit performed strongly.
This puts KKR in a difficult spot. They are already without Matheesha Pathirana, Harshit Rana, and Akash Deep. Now their most expensive signing cannot contribute with the ball either.
See the full picture of KKR’s squad situation on the Kolkata Knight Riders squad and fixtures page.
KKR’s Bowling Crisis: How Deep Does It Go?
This is not just a Cameron Green problem. KKR’s entire pace attack entering IPL 2026 has fallen apart before the first game was even played.
| Player | Status |
|---|---|
| Matheesha Pathirana | Unavailable, calf injury + SLC NOC pending |
| Harshit Rana | Ruled out, knee injury |
| Akash Deep | Out of tournament, back injury |
| Mustafizur Rahman | Released on BCCI instructions |
| Cameron Green | Cannot bowl, not cleared by Cricket Australia |
Five pace names either absent or unable to bowl fully. For a team that entered the auction with the biggest purse of Rs 64.30 crore and rebuilt their attack from scratch, this is a nightmare start.
Vaibhav Arora, Umran Malik, Blessing Muzarabani, and Kartik Tyagi are currently carrying the full pace load. Rahane acknowledged Tyagi bowled well on return, which is at least one small positive.
How MI Punished KKR’s Bowling Weakness
Mumbai Indians chased down 221 with 6 wickets and 5 balls to spare. Rohit Sharma blasted 78 off 38 balls in a vintage display that reminded everyone exactly why he remains one of the greatest T20 openers ever. Ryan Rickelton was equally brutal, scoring 81 off 43 balls.
Shardul Thakur had earlier taken 3/39 to slow KKR’s innings after Ajinkya Rahane scored 67 and Angkrish Raghuvanshi contributed 51. KKR’s 220/4 was a decent total, but without a full bowling attack to defend it, they were always going to struggle.
The absence of Green as a bowling option gave MI’s middle order easy pickings in the death overs. A fit, bowling Green could have added two to three tough overs that might have changed the result.
Check the updated IPL 2026 points table after this result. KKR sit at the bottom alongside Sunrisers Hyderabad after Match 2.
What Happens Next for KKR and Green?
Rahane’s “ask Cricket Australia” comment tells you everything about the frustration inside the KKR camp. They have paid a record price for an all-rounder and are currently getting half the value.
The timeline for Green being cleared to bowl is unclear. Cricket Australia manages his workload carefully given his back injury history, and no franchise, however desperate, can override that medical clearance process.
Until Green bowls, KKR are effectively playing with a specialist batter in an all-rounder’s slot. That is a massive imbalance for a team already short on pace options.
Their next game is against Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 2 at Eden Gardens. If Green is still not cleared by then, KKR face another match with a lopsided bowling attack.
Follow all the latest squad news and match updates through the IPL 2026 updates section.
For the complete KKR vs MI rivalry history going back through every IPL season, the KKR vs MI head-to-head timeline has every result and stat.
Keep an eye on the full IPL 2026 match schedule to track when KKR next get a chance to put things right.
FAQs
Why did Cameron Green not bowl for KKR vs MI in IPL 2026?
Cricket Australia has not cleared Green to bowl following his recovery from a back injury. KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane confirmed this after the match.
How much did KKR pay for Cameron Green in the IPL 2026 auction?
Kolkata Knight Riders bought Cameron Green for Rs 25.20 crore, making him one of the most expensive players of the auction cycle.
What did Rahane say about Green not bowling?
Rahane said “that question you need to ask Cricket Australia,” making it clear the decision is out of KKR’s hands entirely.
Did Green bat in the MI vs KKR match?
Yes. Green scored 18 off 10 balls with the bat but did not bowl a single over in the match.
When will Cameron Green start bowling for KKR?
No confirmed date has been given. Rahane said he hopes Green starts bowling soon, but Cricket Australia controls the clearance timeline.
How did KKR lose to MI in IPL 2026 Match 2?
Mumbai Indians chased 221 in 19.1 overs with Rohit Sharma scoring 78 off 38 and Ryan Rickelton hitting 81 off 43. KKR’s depleted bowling attack could not defend the total.
