"You should recover the price you bought him for" - Sunil Gavaskar on Cameron Green's potential role for RCB in IPL 2024

Sunil Gavaskar feels Cameron Green will have to perform better for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in IPL 2024 than he did for the Mumbai Indians (MI) last season if the Bengaluru-based franchise are to recover the price they paid for him.

RCB acquired Green for ₹17.50 crore from MI ahead of the IPL 2024 auction. The trade also allowed the Mumbai-based franchise to acquire Hardik Pandya from the Gujarat Titans (GT).

During a discussion on Star Sports, Gavaskar was asked whether Green is likely to perform in the batting-friendly conditions at the Royal Challengers Bangalore's home ground. He responded:

"This player will have to perform better than last year because of the price you bought him for. Yes, I agree he scored a century as well for the Mumbai Indians last year. However, he will have to perform better than that because you should recover the price you bought him for and the Mumbai Indians didn't recover that."

The former India captain expects Green to deliver with the bat.

"If RCB have to recover the price, he has to do something not only in batting but bowling as well. He can deliver with the bat because he has that ability. He can play the big shots. He is well-organized in batting," Gavaskar added.

However, Gavaskar wasn't convinced of the Australian all-rounder's ability with the ball. He stated:

"I won't depend on his bowling. He just has a long follow through and nothing more than that. People say he can hit the top of the bat. We didn't see that in Australia as well. He was probably not 100% fit at that time."

Green amassed 452 runs at a strike rate of 160.28 in 16 innings for the Mumbai Indians in IPL 2023. However, he was found slightly wanting with the ball, picking up six wickets in 38 overs at an economy rate of 9.50.

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"I feel he will be a finisher only" - Sunil Gavaskar on Cameron Green's likely batting position for RCB

RCB have a top-heavy batting lineup. [P/C: iplt20.com]

Sunil Gavaskar was further asked about Cameron Green's likely batting position in the Royal Challengers Bangalore lineup. He replied:

"I feel he will be a finisher only because they already have top-order batters. (Rajat) Patidar will play at No. 3. Your top two will be Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli. (Glenn) Maxwell will come at No. 4."

The cricketer-turned-commentator opined that the big-hitting all-rounder is unlikely to get the No. 3 position.

"Maxwell can play both roles. He can score runs up the order and can play as a finisher as well. Cameron Green might get a chance to play after him. I will be surprised if he gets a chance to bat at No. 3," Gavaskar said.

Green has opened in seven of his eight T20I innings for Australia. He managed just two runs off seven deliveries on the only occasion he batted at No. 6 against Pakistan in April 2022.