KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane talked about Cameron Green’s situation after the all-rounder didn’t bowl during their IPL 2026 opener against Mumbai Indians. Green, who came to KKR for a staggering Rs 25.20 crore (with a salary cap of Rs 18 crore), chipped in with a quick 18 runs off 10 balls. But with the ball, he was missing in action, and KKR ended up losing by six wickets to MI.
After the match, Rahane explained it: Green’s still not fully cleared to bowl by Cricket Australia because he’s bouncing back from a back injury.
Rahane said, “Hopefully Green starts bowling soon and then our team combination can change a bit. We batted well but, honestly, getting the balance right with the ball matters a lot. If you want to know why Green can’t bowl, ask Cricket Australia.” He pointed out some bright spots, too: “Our batting was solid, and Kartik Tyagi bowled really well—even though it’s been a while since he played. He was impressive. Lots to build on, and there’s a long season ahead.”
Back to the game—MI finally shook off their long-standing curse of losing the opening match each year. Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton smashed blazing half-centuries, making sure MI chased down the target easily. After Shardul Thakur took 3-39 for KKR and Rahane racked up 67, plus Raghuvanshi’s 51, MI’s answer was clear: Rohit smashed 78 off 38 balls, and Rickelton blasted 81 off 43. They flew past KKR, reaching 224/4 in just 19.1 overs, and finally bagged a win in their season opener—a first since 2012.
Watching Rohit was a treat. He looked like his old self, playing a classic, thrilling innings just as people wondered how much longer he’d stick around in T20 cricket now that he’s stepped away from the international scene.
