Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen has voiced concerns about Cameron Green’s performance with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). This follows Green scoring only four runs off two balls in a rain-affected match against the Punjab Kings (PBKS).
KKR invested a significant amount to acquire Green during the mini auction, paying INR 25.20 crore. However, the 26-year-old has struggled, managing only 24 runs in his first three matches. Additionally, he has not bowled in the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) as he is recovering from a side injury.
Pietersen remarked that he believes players’ salary issues are secondary to their on-field performance. He questions Green’s position as a number three batsman for KKR, stating that he hasn’t demonstrated sufficient T20 skill to justify batting so high in the order. With Green currently not bowling, his role is uncertain.
“I’m against talking about the money because the money is something that just happens. These guys don’t earn as much money as some of the other sportsmen around the world. But obviously, a lot of people like to talk about what I like to talk about, which is cricketing ability. And whether or not you’re good enough to be in a position of power and batting at number 3 in an IPL team, you have to be good enough to be able to perform at that level,” Pietersen said on JioHotstar.
“And I don’t think that he’s good enough to bat at number 3. He’s not bowling, so you have a look at what he has done. Yes, I’ve seen he got a hundred in Mumbai a couple of years ago. I’ve not seen enough of Cam Green to warrant batting at 3 here and taking on that responsibility. He’s a middle-order batter who bowls a bit, and that’s what he does,” he added.
Green has previously demonstrated his skills in the IPL with the Mumbai Indians in 2023 and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2024. In Mumbai, he scored 452 runs at an average of 50, also claiming six wickets.
During his time with RCB, he accumulated 255 runs from 13 innings and took 10 wickets with an economy rate of 8.61, which is impressive for a fifth bowler.
Green is expected to fill significant shoes in the KKR lineup, as the management sees him as a possible long-term replacement for the recently retired Andre Russell.