Ajinkya Rahane takes a sarcastic dig at Cricket Australia as he explains why Cameron Green didn't bowl: 'You need to ask...'

Ajinkya Rahane took a sarcastic dig at Cricket Australia after Kolkata Knight Riders lost their opening match of IPL 2026 against the Mumbai Indians. KKR lost the match by 6 wickets as MI chased down a record target of 221 runs, thanks to brilliant knocks from Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton.

After the match, Rahane was asked about KKR not bowling Cameron Green despite struggling to break the partnership between Rohit and Rickelton in the middle overs. Green is the costliest overseas player in IPL history and is known for his all-round skills. But commentators were shocked after KKR didn’t bowl him at all.

Rahane on why Green didn’t bowl

When former West Indies cricketer Ian Bishop asked why Green didn’t bowl, Rahane smiled and took a sarcastic jab at CA. “The question you need to ask Cricket Australia," he said, leaving commentators in an awkward position. Bishop replied, “Oh! We’ll leave it at that.”

Rahane also talked about his injury that saw him leave the field in the middle of the second innings. He admitted he was struggling with cramps. “Feeling okay, just a lot of cramps through my calf, both the calves actually. Hopefully, I’ll be okay,” he said.

Talking about the match, he said it was a tough day for the KKR bowlers. “It was really tough. I thought 220-225 was a good total. We batted well, but our inexperienced bowling attack will learn. Playing against Mumbai Indians’ strong batting lineup is always a challenge. It’s a learning for us.”

The 37-year-old also joked about his own fitness and form when Pietersen pointed out his age. “I’m still young, KP! Feeling good, but yeah, cramps are a problem. Happens in Mumbai with a lot of humidity. But really happy with the way I’m batting at the moment.”