IPL: Australian all-rounder Cameron Green to refrain from bowling
Australian all-rounder Cameron Green will stay away from bowling till at least April 13. This means Green, Mumbai Indians' (MI) biggest-ever auction acquisition, can only contribute to the batting department in his first few assignments in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023. He suffered a fracture in his right index finger during the recently-concluded Boxing Day Test versus South Africa. Here are further details.
Why does this story matter?
- MI bought Green for a staggering Rs. 17.5 crore in the IPL 2023 mini-auction, making the Aussie the second-most expensive player in the history of the competition.
- The all-rounder's stocks have risen lately owing to his ability to make stellar contributions across all departments.
- The 23-year-old has shown the versatility to bat at different positions.
- Moreover, he can constantly clock over 140 KPH.
Cricket Australia took a call for Green
Meanwhile, the decision to keep Green away from bowling till April 13 has been taken by Cricket Australia. As per the board's workload management policy guidelines, if Green features in all four Test matches against India in February-March, he won't be able to bowl for four weeks from the conclusion of the fourth Test. CA has reportedly informed the same to IPL officials.
Here's what CA has notified
"Cricket Australia has informed this morning that Cameron Green (player No. 8) will be fully available. However, if he features in all the four Test matches of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Green will not be able to bowl for four weeks from the conclusion of the fourth Test," BCCI's CEO and IPL COO Hemang Amin wrote in an email to all 10 franchises.
Green to stay out of action for a while
Green has been ruled out of the third and final Test versus SA. Australia would want Green to regain fitness before the crucial Test series in India. It would be Australia's final assignment in the ongoing World Test Championship cycle. If they lose to SA in Sydney, Australia must manage at least one win and two draws to comfortably secure a WTC final berth.
A look at his T20 numbers
Green has so far played just 21 T20 games, scoring 245 runs at a strike rate of 137.64. The tally includes two fifties, both in T20Is. With the ball, he has scalped five wickets at an economy rate of 9.04. Though these numbers aren't appealing, his performances in the other two international formats have made a lot of noise.
Green to fill Kieron Pollard's boots at MI
As Kieron Pollard has retired from the IPL, Green has the onus to fill his boots at MI. Meanwhile, his inclusion has bolstered MI's line-up, which features dashers like Suryakumar Yadav, skipper Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Tim David, and Tristan Stubbs. In the bowling department, Green would assist Jasprit Bumrah and Jofra Archer. MI have certainly formed a formidable squad for the next season.
