Green finds form but KKR's woes continue

[Reuters]

Six games, no wins - what is going wrong for Kolkata Knight Riders?

There has been plenty of discussion around the form of Australia all-rounder Cameron Green, who became the IPL's most expensive overseas signing and the third-most expensive player ever when KKR signed him for 25.2 crore (£2.1m) in December's auction.

Green had scored 56 runs in his first five innings before hitting his stride with 79 from 55 balls in the defeat by Gujarat Titans, and is just beginning his return to bowling after a series of injuries. He has figures of 1-28 and 0-30 in the two games in which he has bowled.

The price tag has potentially made Green undroppable but there are plenty of other concerns for KKR. Their bowling attack has been hampered by injuries to India internationals Harshit Rana and Akash Deep but in particular, they are struggling to decide on a settled batting line-up.

Green himself has been shuffled between positions three, four and six, and found little support from elsewhere even when he did score against Gujarat.

After a slump to 37-3 in the powerplay, Green and Rovman Powell led a recovery to 147-4, only to lose their last six wickets for just 41 runs. The middle to lower order threw their wickets away, while Green was guilty of taking questionable singles at the beginning of the 17th and 18th overs to find himself starved of the strike.

He ended up facing just 11 balls in the final four overs and could only score four runs from them before he was dismissed from the final ball of the innings.

"When you have a start [to the tournament] like we've had, these things are highlighted a bit more," said former New Zealand seamer Tim Southee, KKR's bowling coach.

"Cam was brilliant, he has been unlucky in a few games but it was great to see him in the runs today and hopefully that sets him up for the rest of the tournament."

At the top of the order, KKR's opening partnership is averaging just 24 and that has also been rejigged - Ajinkya Rahane and Sunil Narine have both been moved, and Finn Allen was dropped for Tim Seifert against Gujarat.

KKR are bottom of the table with just one point from a rain-affected game against Punjab, and they face a quick turnaround by facing in-form Rajasthan Royals on Sunday.