IPL 2026: Cricket Australia Says ‘KKR Aware’ After Rahane's Remark On Green's Bowling Absence vs MI

Following KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane's comment blaming Cricket Australia for Cameron Green's bowling absence against MI, CA issued a response. They clarified that Green is managing a lower back injury, a fact they state KKR was fully aware of, and he is expected to resume bowling in 10-12 days.

Cricket Australia (CA) responded to the remark by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper Ajinkya Rahane on Australian all-rounder Cameron Green’s absence from the bowling in the IPL 2026 clash against the Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday, March 29.

Though KKR lost to MI by six wickets in their opening match, Green’s limited role as a pure batter despite being an all-rounder drew attention. The 26-year-old scored 18 off 10 balls, including a six and a four, at a strike rate of 180, helping the KKR to a commanding total of 220/4 in 20 overs. However, Cameron Green did not bowl a single over, leaving many questioning the KKR’s strategy in the high-scoring clash.

During the post-match interview, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Ajinkya Rahane was asked about Cameron Green’s absence from the bowling. Without any hesitation, Rahane pointed fingers at Cricket Australia, stating, “You need to ask Cricket Australia.”

‘KKR Fully Aware of Green’s Injury’

Ajinkya Rahane’s blunt statement on the matter prompted a swift response from Cricket Australia. The CA spokesperson stated that Green is managing his lower back injury and is currently not permitted to bowl, adding that KKR is ‘fully aware’ of the Australian all-rounder’s condition.

“Cameron has a lower back injury, which is being managed but requires him to abstain from bowling for a short period,” a CA spokesperson told Cricket.com.au.

“Cameron is currently rebuilding his bowling loads in India with a view to return in around 10-12 days' time. KKR has been communicated with and is fully aware of this information," he added.

Cameron Green has limited his bowling since returning from a serious back injury and has often been used by Australia across all formats, which has prevented him from taking on a full bowling workload in the IPL.

In the Ashes 2025-26, wherein Australia successfully defended the urn, the 26-year-old bowled only 61.5 overs across nine innings, meaning he bowled just around 6.5 overs per innings, indicating a reduced workload. In the T20 World Cup 2026, Green bowled only 3.1 overs in five matches.

When Will Cameron Green Return to Bowling?

Cameron Green was acquired for a staggering INR 25.2 crore by the Kolkata Knight Riders at the IPL 2026 mini-auction, making him the most expensive overseas player and the third overall after Rishabh Pant (INR 27 crore by Lucknow Super Giants) and Shreyas Iyer (INR 26.75 crore by the Punjab Kings) in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

At the mini-auction, Green was listed as a batter rather than an all-rounder, which he later clarified was a ‘manager error’ during the registration process. His absence from the bowling in the KKR’s IPL 2026 opening match against MI proved costly, as the hosts’ batting line-up chased down the 221-run target comfortably with six wickets in hand. This exposed KKR’s lack of an additional bowling option.

Cameron Green is unlikely to bowl in the next two matches against Sunrisers Hyderabad and Punjab Kings on April 2 and 6, respectively, as Cricket Australia’s spokesperson stated that he is still in the recovery phase and not yet cleared to resume bowling. However, it remains to be seen whether he will return to bowling in the KKR’s fourth match against Lucknow Super Giants on April 9.

Cameron Green is expected to continue to be monitored closely by the team management and Cricket Australia, with his return to full all-round duties dependent on his recovery progress in the coming days.