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KKR vs GT, IPL 2026: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) witnessed another defeat on Friday, with Shubman Gill-led Gujarat Titans (GT) winning the match by five wickets at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. This is the fifth consecutive loss KKR have witnessed in the six matches they have played so far in the IPL 2026, with their solitary point coming courtesy a rain washout against Punjab Kings at Eden Gardens.

Amid the struggles of their batting and bowling units and the captain's questionable post-toss decisions, one question that has constantly trailed the KKR skipper, Ajinkya Rahane, since the start of IPL 2026 is about Cameron Green's bowling. While the Rs 25.20 crore buy bowled in matches against LSG and CSK, the Australian all-rounder has not been utilised to his full potential.

The mystery behind Green's bowling deepened further during KKR's defeat against GT yesterday, where the all-rounder, despite a valiant 79 off 55 balls, did not even bowl a single over. Before the IPL 2026 began, Cricket Australia had informed KKR management that Green was suffering from a minor lower-back injury and had placed him on a strict bowling load rebuilding phase, restricting his bowling for the first two weeks of the tournament.

ALSO READ: IPL 2026: Shubman Gill's 86 Powers GT To Emphatic Five-Wicket Win Over KKR

However, Green received the green signal from Cricket Australia on April 9, after which he bowled in the match against LSG, returning figures of 1/28 in two overs. He again bowled two overs against CSK on April 14, conceding 30 runs and remaining wicketless.

When asked why Cameron Green did not bowl in yesterday's match against GT, KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane did not blame Cricket Australia, but mentioned "severe cramps" the Australian all-rounder was witnessing during the match.

"He was actually struggling with cramps, which is why he was in and out of the field. So that's the reason he didn't bowl," Ajinkya Rahane said in the post-match press conference.

Rahane further urged the side to "embrace tough phases, play with freedom, and focus on one game at a time". "It's about accepting and embracing these tough days. Every day is a new day. Trying to do better, playing with freedom, and backing each other," Rahane said.

Rahane, during the initial phase, faced similar questions about Green's bowling utilisation. After KKR's loss to the Mumbai Indians in their IPL opener, Ajinkya Rahane was asked why Cameron Green did not bowl, to which he said, "Ask Cricket Australia".

ALSO READ: Ajinkya Rahane Fined Rs 12 Lakh As KKR Slump To Fourth Straight Defeat In IPL 2026

Speaking about Green's role in the team, KKR head coach Abhishek Nayar, earlier this month, had said, "But for us, Cameron Green, the cricketer and the all-rounder, was really important. You take a lot of things into consideration at times, whether there is an injury, fitness updates."

"But eventually, I think, when the auction happens and the tournament happens, it's not immediate. So whatever decision you make, you don't know what the future lies and what the future holds," he added.

KKR's Play-Off Hopes Diminish

Winless after six matches, time is running out for the Kolkata Knight Riders' playoff hopes. A minimum of seven wins is needed from a 10-team league to keep a team's playoff aspirations alive. With eight matches to go and one point in their kitty, the task will be an improbable one for KKR from here on.

ALSO READ: IPL 2026: Virender Sehwag Slams KKR, Says 'Accept The Mistake' As Crisis Peaks


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