Why Shreyas Iyer Didn’t Use Cooper Connolly to Bowl in PBKS vs GT Match

On Tuesday, March 31, Punjab Kings faced Gujarat Titans in match 4 of IPL 2026 at Mullanpur Stadium, New Chandigarh. Gujarat Titans won the toss and chose to bat first. Punjab, last season’s finalists, made only minor adjustments to their squad, including bringing in Cooper Connolly. Fans were curious to see how the Cooper Connolly IPL 2026 role in PBKS would impact the team, especially since he was signed as a replacement for Glenn Maxwell.

At the mini-auction, PBKS signed Connolly for 3 crores. The all-rounder was expected to be a like-for-like replacement for Maxwell, as he can bat and bowl four overs of spin. Connolly impressed in the recent BBL season, scoring 209 runs and picking up 15 wickets. However, PBKS faced a setback as the 22-year-old could not bowl, which has raised questions about the PBKS player form in IPL 2026.

Why Connolly Didn’t Bowl Against Gujarat Titans

At the time of writing, Gujarat Titans were 85/2 after 10 overs, yet Connolly had not bowled, leaving fans confused. The explanation lies in Cricket Australia restrictions. Connolly is recovering from a stress fracture and has a persistent back problem, so the Australian board instructed him to play as a pure batter during the first half of IPL 2026.

Cooper Connolly in the Same Situation as Cameron Green

Connolly is not alone; fellow Australian Cameron Green at KKR faces similar restrictions. Green, bought for 25.20 crores, was also barred from bowling initially. KKR lost their opening match defending 220 against Mumbai Indians. Ajinkya Rahane explained, “Hopefully Green starts bowling soon and the combination will be slightly different. We batted really well, but finding that balance with the ball is really important. [On why Green can't bowl] That is a question you need to ask Cricket Australia.”

A spokesperson added, “Cameron is currently rebuilding his bowling loads in India with a view to return in around 10-12 days' time. KKR has been communicated with and is fully aware of this information.”