Kolkata Knight Riders head coach Abhishek Nayar played down concerns over Cameron Green's inability to bowl so far in IPL 2026, terming it "unfortunate" but part of a managed process as the all-rounder works his way back from a lower-back injury.
Green, an INR 25.20 crore buy at the auction and viewed as a long-term successor to retired franchise legend Andre Russell, featured purely as a batter in the season opener against Mumbai Indians. That raised questions about team balance, especially after the defeat at the Wankhede Stadium. Following captain Ajinkya Rahane's "ask Cricket Australia" remark, the board clarified that Green is managing a lower-back issue and gradually rebuilding his bowling workload.
KKR also shared a clip on social media of Green bowling on the eve of their home game against Sunrisers Hyderabad, indicating progress in his workload management. Addressing the situation, Nayar struck a philosophical note, suggesting the franchise's investment was rooted in Green's long-term value rather than immediate returns.
Green had not bowled competitively for 12 months between September 2024 and October 2025 after undergoing surgery for a stress fracture in his back. Across his last eight competitive appearances, he has bowled just 7.1 overs, and did not bowl for Western Australia in his most recent Sheffield Shield outing before the IPL.
"I think, see, the idea of picking a player in an auction is not always very short sighted. There is always a horizon," Nayar said on Wednesday (April 1). "You look at what a player has done over a number of years and the skill set he possesses. This sport is interesting in that way that a lot of times you pick a player with certain prowess and sometimes they may even perform 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 the tournament happens, it's not immediate. So whatever decision you make, you don't know what the future lies and what the future holds. So in that aspect, we as a franchise always invest in the player and what the player at his best can bring to our table and we know what Cameron can do. There are things that sometimes are very unfortunate.
"Yes, you want backups, you pick players who do certain things. But when you went into the auction, very simple. If Russ [Russell] 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 Green can do that for us. It's just unfortunate that he has not been able to bowl so far."
Green's absence as a bowling option has compounded KKR's fast-bowling concerns. Akash Deep has been ruled out, Mustafizur Rahman had to be released, and Matheesha Pathirana is yet to receive fitness clearance from Sri Lanka Cricket.
Providing an update on Pathirana, Nayar said: "I think just on Pathirana, I think we've got clear communication as to where he's at right now. He's obviously building up his workloads. There will be a fitness test that Sri Lankan Board will conduct, post which the decision on him getting NOC and travelling to Kolkata or wherever will be taken. So, I think we've got constant feedback from them.
"We've got their reports. Our physio team is in touch with their physio team. So, there has been a lot of clarity on the dates. And we are hoping that he can go through those fitness tests, play those practice matches that Sri Lankan cricketers organise for him before they let him go. So, once all those formalities are done, we are hoping and fingers crossed, we have him on our side," Nayar added.
In the absence of first-choice seamers, greater responsibility will fall on KKR's spin attack. That, in turn, brings focus on Varun Chakaravarthy, who has endured a dip in returns since the latter stages of the T20 World Cup. Nayar, however, dismissed concerns around the spinner's confidence, suggesting it was more about opposition batters adapting to him.
"I honestly believe mentally he is in a very good space. Actually, in a better space than he's been in previous years in that regard. Is it his toughest challenge? I feel he's gone through a lot more than this," Nayar said.
"Yes, he's obviously accomplished a lot over the past year, which has increased expectations. Everyone always knew Varun Chakaravarthy was a terrific bowler, but the expectation attached has come from the kind of performances he's given for Team India. As a franchise, as the support staff, we back him. I don't think there's any issue.
"But yes, teams are playing him well. Doesn't mean he can't come back - it just means that it's another challenge in his life like he's had prior, and we are trying and we are hoping and in every way backing him, and I hope the fans and the world do too, for him to come back once again, either in this game or in the future. But it's inevitable that he will bounce back as he has in the past," he concluded.
