Kolkata Knight Riders are in a tough spot in IPL 2026, and the pressure at Eden Gardens is building fast. KKR lost their first two matches, and their third game against the Punjab Kings was rained out after just 3.4 overs. While the washout gave them their first point of the season, it didn't do much for a team that really needs wins to stop sliding down the table.
Their bowling problems show exactly why they are struggling. Mustafizur Rahman was ruled out before the season even started on BCCI orders, while injuries to Harshit Rana and Akash Deep took away two main pace options. On top of that, Sunil Narine missed a game because he was sick, and Varun Chakravarthy had to sit out with a hand injury. Thursday evening at Eden Gardens against Lucknow Super Giants is more than just another game; it is a match KKR simply cannot afford to lose.
With injuries piling up and the team's tactics in question, the news about Cameron Green is a big deal for the franchise. According to ESPNcricinfo, Green is finally ready to bowl in a match again, more than ten days after Cricket Australia gave an update on his fitness. This comes just in time for the LSG clash on Thursday. There is more to the story than just a quick recovery.
Cricket Australia confirmed on 30 March that they were managing a lower-back injury for Green, which meant he couldn't bowl for a short time while he worked on his workload in India. It is worth mentioning that Green didn't bowl in a match for a whole year between September 2024 and October 2025 after surgery on a stress fracture in his back.
In fact, he has only bowled 7.1 overs in his last eight games. His batting hasn't been great either. Green scored 18 runs against the Mumbai Indians but didn't even hit double figures in his next two games, managing only 24 runs in three innings. Former Australia captain Aaron Finch summed up the situation on ESPNcricinfo's TimeOut show, saying Green looks hesitant at the crease, which is a huge change from the dominant player who opened for the Mumbai Indians in past seasons.
Captain Ajinkya Rahane has also been honest about the situation, saying that having Green's bowling gives them a vital sixth option so they don't have to rely too heavily on their spinners. Now that Green is cleared to bowl at Eden Gardens, KKR fans are hoping their season can finally turn around.
