Watch: Cameron Green goes full tilt bowling in nets as KKR defend big money buy
KKR fans will be happy to see Cameron Green going full tilt in the nets ahead of the IPL 2026 clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Kolkata on April 2. KKR head coach Abhishek Nayar defended the call to buy Green for big money.
If you're a Kolkata Knight Riders fan, then this would have been the sight you were waiting for. Ahead of the IPL 2026 clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Cameron Green was seen bowling full tilt in the nets after he wasn't used during the loss to MI.
Green, who was bought for Rs. 25.2 crore, hasn't bowled a lot this year by Australia but was expected to be the Andre Russell replacement for Kolkata. However, he didn't bowl a single delivery in the game at the Wankhede. Ajinkya Rahane then said it was a call from Cricket Australia, to which they responded with a strong message.
Since then, the call from KKR to splash the cash on the all-rounder was criticised by pundits. But now, Green was seen back in the nets, with Kolkata hinting that a return with the ball isn't far away.
KKR DEFEND GREEN PURCHASE
Speaking at the press conference before the SRH clash, KKR head coach Abhishek Nayar defended the decision to buy Green, despite knowing that he won't be able to bowl for some time.
"Well, I think the idea of picking a player in an auction is not always very short-sighted. You look at what a player has done over a number of years and the skills that he possesses."
"This sport is interesting in that way that a lot of times you pick up a player with certain progress and sometimes they may even do the skill you are talking about and not perform. But for us, Cameron Green the cricketer and the all-rounder was really important."
"You take a lot of things into consideration at times, whether there is an injury, fitness updates, but eventually, I think when the auction happens and when the tournament happens, it's not immediate," said Nayar.
Nayar said that Green is unfortunate not to bowl at the moment. The KKR coach said that idea picking Green was to carry the Andre Russell legacy forward.
"It's not in your control, but that's the sport and that's the beauty of the sport. So we always consider best-case scenarios. Yes, you want backup, you take players who do certain things, but when we went to the auction, the thought was very simple. If Russ wasn't there, who is the next best all-rounder that we felt in the world and could add a lot of value and could take that Russell legacy forward in a different role? We felt Cameron could do that for us. It's just unfortunate that he has not been able to go so far," said Nayar.
It remains to be seen if Green will bowl during the SRH clash as KKR look to bounce back from their loss in Mumbai.
IPL 2026 | IPL Schedule | IPL Points Table | IPL Player Stats | Purple Cap | Orange Cap | IPL Videos | Cricket News | Live Score
If you're a Kolkata Knight Riders fan, then this would have been the sight you were waiting for. Ahead of the IPL 2026 clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Cameron Green was seen bowling full tilt in the nets after he wasn't used during the loss to MI.
Green, who was bought for Rs. 25.2 crore, hasn't bowled a lot this year by Australia but was expected to be the Andre Russell replacement for Kolkata. However, he didn't bowl a single delivery in the game at the Wankhede. Ajinkya Rahane then said it was a call from Cricket Australia, to which they responded with a strong message.
Since then, the call from KKR to splash the cash on the all-rounder was criticised by pundits. But now, Green was seen back in the nets, with Kolkata hinting that a return with the ball isn't far away.
KKR DEFEND GREEN PURCHASE
Speaking at the press conference before the SRH clash, KKR head coach Abhishek Nayar defended the decision to buy Green, despite knowing that he won't be able to bowl for some time.
"Well, I think the idea of picking a player in an auction is not always very short-sighted. You look at what a player has done over a number of years and the skills that he possesses."
"This sport is interesting in that way that a lot of times you pick up a player with certain progress and sometimes they may even do the skill you are talking about and not perform. But for us, Cameron Green the cricketer and the all-rounder was really important."
"You take a lot of things into consideration at times, whether there is an injury, fitness updates, but eventually, I think when the auction happens and when the tournament happens, it's not immediate," said Nayar.
Nayar said that Green is unfortunate not to bowl at the moment. The KKR coach said that idea picking Green was to carry the Andre Russell legacy forward.
"It's not in your control, but that's the sport and that's the beauty of the sport. So we always consider best-case scenarios. Yes, you want backup, you take players who do certain things, but when we went to the auction, the thought was very simple. If Russ wasn't there, who is the next best all-rounder that we felt in the world and could add a lot of value and could take that Russell legacy forward in a different role? We felt Cameron could do that for us. It's just unfortunate that he has not been able to go so far," said Nayar.
It remains to be seen if Green will bowl during the SRH clash as KKR look to bounce back from their loss in Mumbai.
IPL 2026 | IPL Schedule | IPL Points Table | IPL Player Stats | Purple Cap | Orange Cap | IPL Videos | Cricket News | Live Score
