'Not good enough': Kevin Pietersen slams Cameron Green's continuous failures
What's the story
Former England captain Kevin Pietersen has slammed Cameron Green for his poor performance in IPL 2026. The all-rounder was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for a whopping ₹25.2 crore but has failed to deliver so far. In three matches, he has only managed to score 24 runs at an average of eight and hasn't bowled a single delivery yet. Here are further details.
Performance critique
Green not good enough to bat at No.3, says Pietersen
During a recent interaction with JioStar, Pietersen questioned Green's ability to bat at No.3 for KKR. He said, "I won't talk about money (auction price), but I don't think he is good enough for batting at No. 3." Pietersen added that Green is more of a middle-order batter who bowls a bit and not someone who should take on such responsibility in the team.
Ongoing challenges
Green's poor run in IPL 2026 and T20I cricket
Green has batted at No.3 twice and No.4 once this season as KKR struggles to find the right combination. The all-rounder has had a tough time making an impact in T20I cricket this year, scoring just 117 runs in seven matches while bowling only 7.1 overs. This further highlights his ongoing challenges on the field despite being a high-profile player.
Team strategy
KKR can replace Green with these players
KKR has the option to bring in Rachin Ravindra, Tim Seifert or Rovman Powell as a replacement for Green. Sanjay Bangar, who was also part of the discussion, said both Ravindra and Green aren't exactly T20 specialists. He emphasized that when picking overseas players, they have to be specialists because there are only four spots available in the team.
Role assessment
Powell ideal player for KKR, feels Bangar
Bangar also said if Green isn't bowling, he doesn't fit well into just the batter category. He suggested Powell as an ideal player for KKR as a pure batter, given his status as a T20 specialist and proven commodity. This further emphasizes the ongoing debate over Green's role in the team amid his lackluster performance this season.