And yet, for all the frustration around him, this is precisely why KKR cannot afford to make a panic move now. Dropping Green at this point may satisfy the anger outside the dressing room, but it could risk creating a bigger problem inside. KKR are not just managing a player out of form. They are managing a major auction investment, a squad-balance decision and a high-upside cricketer whose value can change very quickly if even one part of his all-round game returns.

That is why KKR cannot treat Green like an ordinary top-order batter who has had a poor start. If they bench him now, they are not just dropping a struggling batter. They are effectively admitting, within the opening phase of the season, that one of the central bets of their auction strategy may have to be shelved before it has fully opened. And that is the sort of decision teams usually take only when they are convinced there is a clearly superior alternative waiting in the wings. Right now, the bigger risk may actually be overreaction.

KKR’s start to the season has only sharpened that pressure. They lost their first two games before the Punjab Kings match was washed out, leaving them with just one point from three outings and little room for experimentation. That context is important. Teams in trouble often talk themselves into “freshening things up,” but in reality, they need fewer emotional decisions, not more. A hasty call on Green might create the appearance of action without actually solving the more important issue of balance.

₹25.20 cr – Cameron Green to bowl against LSG: Report”>KKR to get full value for ₹25.20 cr – Cameron Green to bowl against LSG: Report

That matters because KKR are not waiting on an unknown quantity to suddenly reveal hidden value. They are waiting on a player who has already shown that he can be a serious IPL batter. Yes, questions around his batting position are valid. Kevin Pietersen’s criticism of Green’s suitability at No. 3 in the IPL landed because the role is demanding, especially when a player is short on rhythm and not yet compensating with overs. But criticism of the role is not the same as proof of uselessness. Green may not be the ideal pure No. 3 destroyer, yet he still remains too good a T20 player to discard after such a short sample.

And that is where the quality argument becomes stronger than the outrage argument. KKR do not need Green to justify ₹25.2 crore with one innings. They need him to become usable, influential and eventually multi-dimensional. Players with his ceiling are often worth one more game, one more role tweak and one more attempt before the axe comes down. That is especially true early in a tournament when the sample is still tiny, and the player’s broader body of work remains stronger than the immediate slump.

If that happens, the entire argument around his place changes overnight. Then, KKR are no longer carrying an expensive batter whose returns have been underwhelming. They are backing an all-rounder who was bought to affect the game in two disciplines and is finally moving toward that role. That is also why Sunil Gavaskar’s criticism felt so pointed: if Green is not bowling, KKR’s justification becomes thinner. But once he begins contributing with the ball, even in small bursts, the team balance starts to make sense again.

That is why this is not the moment for KKR to blink. Green has been poor. The criticism is fair. The pressure is real. But there is a difference between acknowledging disappointment and surrendering too early. KKR cannot afford to keep carrying dead weight. They also cannot afford to walk away from one of their biggest bets just before that bet is about to become complete. On current evidence, backing Cameron Green for a little longer is not blind faith. It is still the smarter gamble.