Former Mumbai all-rounder and Kolkata Knight Riders head coach has been quite vocal when it comes to his opinion on Australian all-rounder Cameron Green. Nayar is eager to see the 26-year-old all-rounder as the next Andre Russell of KKR. Green suffered a lower back injury in 2024, due to which he wasn’t allowed to bowl by Cricket Australia.
Green faced the same problem during the recently concluded tournament, which is why the Australian team management followed a workload management process to limit his role as a bowler. Green didn’t bowl for more than a year from September 2024 to October 2025 after his surgery. Green didn’t bowl for Western Australia in the recently concluded Sheffield Shield match for Western Australia before the IPL. In his last eight matches, Green has bowled just 7.1 overs.
The KKR franchise and the team management bought the all-rounder for an astounding INR 25.2 crore without being aware of his injury. In the second match of the 2026 season, KKR faced the Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on the 29th of March, but Cameron Green didn’t bowl due to injury concerns.
Cameron Green is a long-term investment: Abhishek Nayar
Abhishek Nayar has stated that although Green isn’t completely fit to bowl, the all-rounder has been bought keeping in mind a futuristic approach. Nayar insisted that a player is bought by a franchise, keeping in mind his capabilities and skill sets. He stated that a player is bought keeping in mind his performances over the last few years.
He went on to add that there are times when you pick a player, and he might not perform. Nayar stated, “If Russell isn’t there, then who could be the next all-rounder who can replace him? So we felt that Cameron Green could do that job for us.
Cameron Green is showing signs of recovery
Meanwhile, the KKR team management shared a video where Cameron Green was seen bowling during a practice session, signalling his return to full-fledged bowling before the KKR and Sunrisers Hyderabad match that was played at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on Thursday, the 2nd of April. KKR lost the match by 65 runs.
