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Cricket Australia (CA) on Monday confirmed that all-rounder Cameron Green, representing Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) is recovering from a lower-back injury and is currently rebuilding his bowling workload with an aim to return to his full capacities as an all-rounder within the next 10-12 days.
KKR suffered a six-wicket loss to five-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI) in their first Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 match on Monday, with the bowling looking largely toothless in the absence of injured Indian pacer Harshit Rana and Rs 18 crore buy, Sri Lankan star Matheesha Pathirana. The pace attack of Zimbabwean Blessing Muzarabani, pacers Vaibhav Arora and Kartik Tyagi did not look remotely threatening as fiery knocks from Ryan Rickelton and Rohit Sharma helped MI chase down 221 with five balls left. Cameron Green, franchise's most expensive player bought at Rs 25.20 crores, could make only 10-ball 18 and did not bowl. On being asked why Green did not bowl, KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane said, "You need to ask Cricket Australia". Now, a CA spokesperson has said as quoted by ESPNCricinfo, "Cameron has a lower-back injury, which is being managed, but requires him to abstain from bowling for a short period." "Cameron is currently rebuilding his bowling loads in India with a view to returning in around 10-12 days' time. KKR has been communicated with and is fully aware of this information," the spokesperson added. During the T20 World Cup, aside from managing a meagre 24 runs in three innings with the best score of 21, Green bowled just three overs in the tournament across two games and got one wicket. Even during his recent Sheffield Shield appearance for Western Australia against New South Wales (NSW), where he scored a century, Green did not bowl a single over. In the Pakistan T20Is preceding the World Cup, he bowled four overs across two matches and took just one wicket. During the 2025/26 Ashes, Green could take just four wickets, bowling only 61.5 overs across five matches and nine innings and averaging 70.75. The lanky pace bowling all-rounder headed into the IPL without many wickets and bowling time behind him. In 71 T20s, Green has taken 30 wickets at an average of 34.50, with best figures of 3/35. KKR's next match will be against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on April 2 at Eden Gardens. (ANI)
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