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Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have completed a successful trade to secure Australian all-rounder Cameron Green from the Mumbai Indians (MI) ahead of IPL 2024.
The deal was penned down on Sunday, November 26, before the official announcement followed on Monday. This comes on the back of Hardik Pandya returning to MI as well from the Gujarat Titans (GT).
Green was snapped up for a massive ₹17.50 crore at the player auction last year with MI going all-out for the Western Australian prodigy. He did not disappoint either and whipped up 452 runs at an average of 50.22 and a strike rate of 160.28 with two fifties and a century to his name.
He picked up just six wickets at an economy rate of 9.50 but offers the ability to hit the deck hard and rush batters off the surface.
His addition is an interesting one for RCB, who narrowly missed out on the playoffs last time around. Having made some significant releases ahead of the IPL 2024 auction, how the all-rounder slots in will be of fascinating intrigue.
On the back of this development, let's assess three reasons why the move isn't the right one:
#1 Where does Green bat?
Green, as was seen during his stint with MI earlier this year, is best suited to be used at the top of the order. The field restrictions and his strong game against pace allow him to use his long levers and blast off in the first few overs.
But a glance at RCB's current roster for IPL 2024 tells you that their batting order looks settled as far as the top four is concerned. A fit-again Rajat Patidar will slot in at No. 3, allowing Glenn Maxwell to continue batting at No. 4 while Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli should open the batting.
This could mean Green bats at No. 5 and while it's not bad, it's perhaps not ideal for him at this stage of his career. A move to push him anywhere in the top three though would mean that the others would be batting at a rung lower than what is ideal for the team.
In this sense, Green joining RCB doesn't add up since the best of his primary skill - that of a batter - may not be extracted with uncertainty over where he will bat.
#2 Reduces the team's funds for the auction
Prior to trading Green in, RCB had the biggest purse to spend at the IPL 2024 auction - ₹40.75 crore. Having acquired the Australian all-rounder, it leaves them with a purse of just ₹23.25 crore to build the rest of their squad with.
A glance at their retained set of players tells you why it's an alarming cause for concern. Barring Mohammed Siraj, there is not a single world-class bowler at their disposal with England's Reece Topley extremely susceptible to injury. Replacements are required for three of their big purchases from the 2022 mega auction in Wanindu Hasaranga, Josh Hazlewood, and Harshal Patel.
With a few other teams also in need of fast bowlers in particular, RCB will not have it easy to acquire first-choice options at a throwaway price. Especially not in a mini-auction where the demand-supply graph hits a new high in terms of skewness with every subsequent year.
Green's acquisition doesn't solve their immediate problem - to have a well-rounded bowling attack for the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Will the Challengers head into IPL 2024 as the same old batting-heavy unit again?
#3 His fitness will be monitored closely by Australia
An injury-prone fast-bowling all-rounder who is touted to be a generational talent for years to come is bound to be handled with care. Cricket Australia (CA) has often taken the safe route with Green's bowling workload given his history with injuries and that isn't expected to come down anytime soon.
In that regard, RCB have certainly dipped their hands into what is nothing short of a gamble ahead of IPL 2024. Not only is Green's bowling going to be watched closely at the pocket-sized M Chinnaswamy Stadium but the number of overs he can deliver will also be monitored.
In lieu of the T20 World Cup that follows IPL 2024, one can expect his workload to be regulated. A massive investment in him in this regard comes with its own set of risks should he be asked to return home early or should a restriction in the number of overs he can bowl be applied by CA.
What do you make of Cameron Green joining RCB for IPL 2024? Have your say in the comments section below!
