Cameron Green had another challenging outing in the Indian Premier League as he struggles to live up to his tag as the most expensive overseas player
Kolkata Knight Riders said this week they had bought Cameron Green for the long term, which is just as well as the most expensive overseas signing in Indian Premier League history has suffered his worst outing yet in this year’s mediocre campaign.
The Australian allrounder saw his two overs disappear for 30 runs then recorded a golden duck as KKR were well beaten by Chennai Super Kings in the battle between the league’s bottom two.
KKR paid A$4.17 million at the auction for this year’s tournament for Green, though he only receives just under A$3m due to a cap on foreign player salaries. He has scored 56 runs in five innings with four dismissals making 18, 2, 4, 32no and 0.
It’s been no better with the ball. Unable to bowl for the first three matches as he nursed a lower back injury Green has now delivered four overs for 58 runs and one wicket.
KKR, meanwhile, have lost four matches and had one no result with their prospects of making the playoffs fast diminishing.
Having gone around the park as a death bowler as KKR conceded 30 off the last two overs to lose on the final ball at Lucknow in their last game, Green was on Tuesday entrusted with the new ball, bowling the second over.
He restricted CSK to ten runs, respectable in a Powerplay, but his next over, the fourth of the innings, went for 20 with 18-year-old Ayush Mhatre hitting the last three balls for 4,6,6.
Before the match Green had said: “Body’s really good. I think obviously with bowling, there’s nothing like match practice. So hopefully I’m better for it, and I’ll be able to bowl four overs this game, which is good.”
However, he did not bowl again in the innings as the home team made a solid 5-192 with Sanju Samson top-scoring with 48, South Africa’s Dewald Brevis 41 and Mhatre 38 off 17 balls.
Green has been batting at No.3 or No.4 but was held back to come in at No.6. KKR were 4-85 with former Melbourne Renegades import Noor Ahmed (3-21) having just taken the key wicket of KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane (28). First ball Green opened his stance to give himself room to cut the leg-spinner away, missed it and was bowled.
Already behind the clock KKR continued to drift and fell 32 runs short despite late hitting from Rovman Powell (31no) and Ramandeep Singh (35).
The 26-year-old West Australian will be desperate to repay KKR’s faith in him but can take some comfort from Abhishek Nayar, the head coach, insisting he has been signed for the long haul.
“The idea of picking a player in an auction is not always very short-sighted,” he said. “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 Cam Green can do.”
It is now up to Green to starting showing it on field.
Meanwhile, England seamer Brydon Carse has pulled out of the IPL with a hand injury suffered while batting in the nets.
Carse, England’s leading wicket-taker in the Ashes and their only bowler to complete all five Tests, is now a doubt for the first Test against New Zealand at Lord’s, starting on June 4.
Sunrisers Hyderabad have replaced him with Sri Lanka left-armer Dilshan Madushanka.
IPL 2026 standings
Australians in IPL 2026
Chennai Super Kings: Matt Short ($255k), Spencer Johnson ($255k, replaces Nathan Ellis ($340k))
Delhi Capitals: Mitchell Starc ($2m)
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Josh Hazlewood ($2.13m), Tim David ($510k)
Punjab Kings: Marcus Stoinis ($1.9m), Ben Dwarshuis ($745k), Mitchell Owen ($510k), Cooper Connolly ($510k), Xavier Bartlett ($136k)
Kolkata Knight Riders: Cameron Green ($3.5m)
Sunrisers Hyderabad: Pat Cummins ($3.5m), Travis Head ($2.38m), Jack Edwards ($510k, withdrawn)
Lucknow Super Giants: Josh Inglis ($1.49m), Mitchell Marsh ($578k)
* Prices in Australian dollars, conversions from Indian Rupees correct at time of auction in December 2025
