After three IPL 2026 innings, Cameron Green is still searching for his rhythm with Kolkata Knight Riders, and the signs from his early outings have left plenty of concern. On ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut programme, former Australia captain Aaron Finch pointed to a lack of confidence, saying, “There’s a bit of panic—he’s not looking the same as the past.”
KKR’s home match against Punjab Kings on Monday was reduced dramatically by rain, with only 3.4 overs possible. Even so, it was enough for Green to take his place and depart quickly, caught behind off Xavier Bartlett on the second ball he faced. The 26-year-old allrounder was bought for INR 25.20 crore (about USD 2.8 million/AUD 4.2 million), which made him the most expensive overseas player in IPL auction history. Yet through three knocks, his batting has looked unsettled. Green opened the season with 18 runs from 10 balls against his former side Mumbai Indians, before being run out after a coming-together for 2 off 2 against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Finch felt one of the dismissals was not purely about execution. “One of those dismissals has been a run out, not a part of his fault,” he said. “Still, he’s missed out twice. There’s a bit of panic, he’s not looking the same as the past. Remember when he was at the top of the order for MI—how he had totally different intent.” He then contrasted the current uncertainty with Green’s 2023 form for MI, when he was locked into the No. 3 position, scoring 452 runs in 16 innings at a strike rate of 160.28 and an average of 50.22.
To Finch, the bigger issue is the way Green is being asked to play. “He was imposing at the crease,” Finch said. “Now he looks tentative. Don’t push him down. Push him either up the order, or give him a rest.” In IPL 2026 so far, Green’s batting entry points have varied—he has come in during the sixth over at No. 3, the fifth over at No. 4, and the second over at No. 3.
Finch also took aim at KKR’s tactical choice to bat first against PBKS, arguing that it placed their top order—including Green—into conditions that were far from ideal after extended rain in the build-up. He noted that the Eden Gardens surface had spent a long time under covers, and the moisture left behind assisted the seam bowlers once play began.
“Winning the toss and electing to bat after the wicket’s been under the covers for a day—you know there’s been rain in the air—it makes absolutely no sense,” Finch said. “That’s an alarm bell for me. It’s not that they’re two down for 25; it’s the fact that ‘we shouldn’t be batting’. You’re making the wrong decision even when you’ve got all the information.”
He added that the forecast realities were clear even before the first ball. “There’s cloud cover around. You’re expecting rain. They had three hours of rain. Obviously, somebody has told them at some point—‘it might rain later’—you might need to chase later. DLS works better for the team batting second a little better. You’ve got all that information, so I don’t understand how you get to the decision where you bat first.”
KKR will now turn their attention to their next assignment against Lucknow Super Giants on April 9, with the team expected to remain in the city for the fixture after their recent rain-affected schedule in Kolkata.
