Australia selector George Bailey explains Cameron Green's recovery after 'blown out of proportion' IPL drama
Updated . First published
Australia's chairman of selectors George Bailey says the drama around Cameron Green's injury management has been "blown out of proportion" after comments made by Kolkata Knight Riders captain Ajinkya Rahane earlier this week.
The 26-year-old Aussie all-rounder made his debut for Kolkata and scored 18 before his team lost by six wickets to the Mumbai Indians on Monday morning.
The side posted 4-220 before the Indians produced an IPL-record chase to seal victory.
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Questions were asked of Kolkata's bowling following the shock loss, and captain Ajinkya Rahane was asked specifically why Green was not used.
"The question you need to ask to Cricket Australia," Rahane said as he smiled before interviewer Pommie Mbangwa awkwardly responded, "oh, well OK, we'll leave it at that".
Kolkata Knight Riders' Cameron Green plays a shot during the Indian Premier League. AP
Wide World of Sports contacted Cricket Australia for comment.
The governing body said Green is currently managing a lower back injury which was found after the T20 World Cup last month.
"KKR has been communicated with and is fully aware of this information," a CA spokesperson said.
Bailey has now provided more context around the injury after announcing Australia's contract list.
"He has regular check ins and one of those check ins flagged that there was a little bit of something going on there ... that they just wanted to settle down," he told reporters.
"It was just a small period of deload for him which I think to be honest was blown out of proportion a little bit on the back of a one-liner from a captain.
"I'm pretty sure KKR were very aware how Cam was going once he got over there and aware he'd be back at the bowling crease reasonably soon."
George Bailey. Cricket Australia via Getty Imag
The Knight Riders won a bidding war at the IPL auction late last year and secured Green with 252 million rupees ($4.17m AUD), which is a record for an international player in the Twenty20 competition.
Rahane clearly wants his superstar import to be able to bowl as soon as possible.
"I think when hopefully Green starts to bowl soon, the combination will be slightly different," he said following the loss.
"At the moment, we have to see the balance and who can bowl well for us. Batting-wise, as I said, we batted really well, but finding that balance with the ball is really important.
"So, hopefully, Green starts to bowl soon, [and] then we can find out whether the combination will be OK."
Green has been on limited duties since having back surgery last year.
Cameron Green. Getty
He didn't bowl at all during the World Test Championship final against South Africa, or in any of the three Tests against the West Indies following that.
He was used sparingly during Australia's Ashes campaign and bowled less than 62 overs in total across the five matches.
He bowled sporadically during Australia's T20 World Cup campaign and wasn't used by Western Australia in his sole Sheffield Shield match this year, earlier this month.
Green scored a much-needed century against NSW in that match, but made headlines with a bizarre stoush with a journalist at Cricket Central when probed about his lack of form in recent times.
