McDonald backs Green to handle IPL pressure as KKR bowling row escalates
The row over Cameron Green's bowling at Kolkata Knight Riders shows no sign of cooling. On Tuesday, Australia head coach Andrew McDonald weighed in on the growing debate, acknowledging the "huge expectations" on Green while insisting the 26-year-old has the quality to come through.
What sparked the row
Green did not bowl a single over in KKR's opening match against Mumbai Indians on Sunday, despite being bought at the December auction for 25.20 crore, a record for an overseas player. KKR lost the game after failing to defend 220, and captain Ajinkya Rahane did little to hide his frustration. When asked about Green's absence from the attack, Rahane said the question should be put to Cricket Australia.
Cricket Australia responded within hours. They confirmed Green is nursing a lower-back injury picked up during the T20 World Cup earlier this month and needs 10 to 12 days to rebuild his bowling loads. CA also insisted KKR had been informed of the restriction well before the tournament started.
McDonald's defence
Speaking on Tuesday, McDonald said the pressure on Green to perform with both bat and ball across all three formats is enormous but not unique to him. "The expectation from an all-rounder to average 45 with the bat and under 30 with the ball, very few achieve that," McDonald said. He backed Green's career to "trend upwards" and said the short-term restrictions on his bowling should not define a long-term judgement.
Ashwin's pay-cut proposal
The debate has gone beyond KKR's dressing room. Ravichandran Ashwin, now on the Hindi commentary panel after retiring from the IPL, suggested that franchises should have the right to reduce a player's salary if they cannot fulfil their expected role. "If he bowls two overs, deduct two crore," Ashwin said, pointing to the financial burden on KKR owner Shah Rukh Khan.
Ashwin has also questioned whether KKR can make the playoffs this season, calling their bowling attack short on "mystery and fear factor" with Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy no longer the force they once were.
What happens next
Green batted at number three against Mumbai Indians and made 18 off 10 balls before falling. If Cricket Australia's 10-to-12-day timeline holds, he could return to bowling around KKR's fourth or fifth match of the season. Until then, KKR are effectively carrying a specialist batter in an all-rounder's slot, a problem that weighs heavier when your bowling group is already under scrutiny.
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