New Delhi, April 3 (IANS) Former India batter Wasim Jaffer has raised concerns over overseas all-rounders being restricted by national boards in franchise leagues, pointing to Australian allrounder Cameron Green not bowling with the ball in the ongoing Indian Premier League 2026 as a key example.

Green, who was signed for Rs 25.20 crore for his all-round capabilities, has yet to bowl in the tournament, including in the opening clash against the Mumbai Indians (MI), where his side conceded a hefty 221 runs, and their second match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), where they conceded 226 runs. His limited role has sparked debate over team balance and utilisation.

Jaffer took to X to voice his opinion on the matter, stressing that franchises should have full control over how players are used once they are part of a privately run competition.

“Cam Green not bowling is unfair for KKR. Once you’re playing in a private league, it shouldn’t be your country who decides what you can and cannot do during that league. If that’s the case, you might as well not play. Teams pay huge amounts to acquire players with certain skill sets, and not using one of the skill sets, not because of injury, but because of workload management, is unfair to the franchise,” he wrote.

Earlier, speaking after the Mumbai match, captain Ajinkya Rahane suggested that decisions regarding Green’s bowling were influenced by Cricket Australia, indicating that the matter was not entirely in the team’s hands.

Cricket Australia later confirmed that Green’s workload is being carefully managed due to a lower back concern, with the franchise reportedly informed about the restriction ahead of the tournament.

Despite not bowling in matches so far, Green has been seen bowling during practice sessions, hinting at a possible return to full all-round duties as his recovery progresses.

Green’s outing with the bat has also not been up to the mark in the ongoing season. He scored just 18 runs in KKR’s first match against Mumbai and got run out at a crucial time against SRH after scoring only two runs. Due to his poor batting, KKR has lost both matches and currently sit at ninth position in the points table.

–IANS

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