3 minute read

Australian Chris Green will play in the Indian Premier League for the first time in 2020, with the drinks set to be on cashed-up Kolkata teammate Pat Cummins.

Globetrotting gun for hire Chris Green is threatening to beat an unlikely path to Australia's Twenty20 World Cup squad, having landed his maiden Indian Premier League contract.

Kolkata Knight Riders won a record-breaking IPL bidding war in their $3.16-million pursuit of Pat Cummins.

Green was snapped up by the same franchise for the bargain-basement price of $41,000.

The offspinner has captained in the Caribbean, turned the ball for Toronto, entertained passionate crowds in Pakistan, and recently signed an unprecedented six-season contract with Sydney Thunder.

Green has embraced the freelance lifestyle, even playing T20 games in Canada and England on consecutive days this year.

But until the early hours of Friday morning, spent anxiously waiting for his name to pop up on live Twitter updates from the auction, the 26-year-old'd never had a chance to play in the "pinnacle of T20 cricket".

"It still hasn't sunk in. I wasn't really hanging my hopes on it," Green told AAP.

"With other T20 tournaments there is a lot more discussion between coaches and players, you get a bit of an idea, whereas with this you just sit and wait.

"We got back after the game (Thunder's win over Melbourne Renegades). It was just after 1am, I struggle to sleep after games at the best of times.

"I saw my name and was like 'wow, I can't believe it'. I went quiet ... it's going to be an awesome opportunity."

Green has almost lost count of the number of white-ball competitions he has taken part in.

Chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns hasn't lost track of Green's impressive form around the world, providing encouraging feedback earlier this summer.

Incumbents Adam Zampa and Ashton Agar, both overlooked in the first round of the IPL auction, headline Australia's pack of potential spinners at the 2020 T20 World Cup.

But Green has started the BBL brightly and will be hunting a third straight win on Saturday, when the Thunder host Adelaide at Manuka Oval.

"Ashton and Adam bowled really well in those recent T20 series, against Pakistan and Sri Lanka, so it's going to be a tough egg to crack," he said.

"The conversations I've had with selectors is that playing these tournaments ahead of the World Cup is going to help my case.

"I'm just focused on putting in my best efforts for the Thunder."