As the IPL 2026 match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Lucknow Super Giants gets set for Thursday at Eden Gardens, the biggest talking point in the KKR camp has been Cameron Green’s return to bowling. Ahead of the game in Kolkata, the all-rounder was spotted working with the ball in the nets, a sign that he could be nearing a full role after missing earlier overs.
KKR’s Green question, Rahane’s team plan
KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane underlined that Green’s availability with the ball could shape the XI and improve the team balance.
- At the toss, Rahane said that once Green is permitted to bowl, the side’s combination improves, pointing out that Rovman Powell’s place depends on Green’s bowling workload.
- Rahane added that when Cameron Green bowls, KKR effectively gains an extra bowling option, allowing the batting-bowling mix to be better tailored.
- Rahane also confirmed a single change to the playing group: Sunil Narine is set to come in for Blessing, while Varun remains out as he continues recovering from a hand injury.
Rahane further explained KKR’s batting mindset for the contest. He stressed that the team should stay calm and responsive rather than trying to force outcomes from the start.
“As a batting unit, we just want to watch the ball and react—rather than putting ourselves under pressure by choosing a specific target and chasing it immediately,” Rahane said. “For me, it’s about being in the moment, reacting to what’s in front of you, and reading the ball.”
Why Green’s bowling status became a storyline
The conversation around Green intensified after KKR’s earlier defeat to Mumbai Indians, a match in which he did not bowl and the side struggled to hold a large total. Rahane’s earlier remark—suggesting that the question about Green’s availability needed to be directed toward Cricket Australia—added to the uncertainty and sparked discussion about workload management and external influence.
Cricket Australia’s clarification on the issue
Later, Cricket Australia clarified that there was no abrupt restriction. Green has instead been managing a lower-back problem and has been building up gradually toward returning to full bowling duties. His latest net session was viewed as progress, though it remains to be seen whether he will take the field and bowl in the match against Lucknow Super Giants.
Playing XIs for KKR vs LSG
Kolkata Knight Riders (Playing XI): Ajinkya Rahane (c), Finn Allen, Cameron Green, Angkrish Raghuvanshi (w), Rinku Singh, Rovman Powell, Ramandeep Singh, Anukul Roy, Sunil Narine, Navdeep Saini, Kartik Tyagi
Kolkata Knight Riders (Impact subs): Manish Pandey, Vaibhav Arora, Tejasvi Dahiya, Rahul Tripathi, Tim Seifert
Lucknow Super Giants (Playing XI): Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, Rishabh Pant (w/c), Nicholas Pooran, Abdul Samad, Mukul Choudhary, Manimaran Siddharth, Avesh Khan, Mohammed Shami, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Prince Yadav
Lucknow Super Giants (Impact subs): Ayush Badoni, Matthew Breetzke, Shahbaz Ahmad, Mayank Yadav, Himmat Singh
