NEW DELHI: Kolkata Knight Riders head coach Abhishek Nayar has downplayed concerns over Cameron Green not bowling so far in IPL 2026, saying it’s just an unfortunate situation. The Australian all-rounder, bought for Rs 25.2 crore, is currently unable to bowl due to a lower back injury, though he is expected to resume soon.Nayar made it clear that KKR’s investment in Green goes beyond immediate results, with the franchise viewing him as a long-term option and a potential successor to Andre Russell.
“There are things that sometimes are very unfortunate; it’s not in your control, but that’s the sport, and that’s the beauty of the sport. So, we always consider best-case scenarios. Yes, you want back-ups; you pick players who do certain things,” Nayar said. “But when we went into the auction… we felt Cam Green could do that for us. It’s just unfortunate that he’s not been able to bowl so far.”He added that auction decisions are made with a bigger picture in mind, saying, “See, the idea of picking a player in an auction is not always very short-sighted… 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.”
Abhishek Nayar backs Varun to bounce back
Nayar also showed confidence in Varun Chakaravarthy, who has been struggling for form recently. He believes the spinner is mentally strong and capable of turning things around.“I honestly believe mentally he is in a very good space… Is it his toughest challenge? I feel he’s gone through a lot more than this,” he added.While acknowledging that teams have started playing him better, Nayar remained optimistic. “But yes, teams are playing him well… it’s inevitable that he will bounce back as he has in the past,” he concluded.