Last Updated on 3 weeks ago by Charbel Coorey

Cooper Connolly is the new talk of the town after he scored 72* runs off just 44 deliveries on his IPL debut against the Gujarat Titans. He guided Punjab Kings to victory after the team found themselves in a tricky situation during their chase of 163.

Connolly has been rated very highly by many. He first made his name in the BBL 12 (2022-23) final, where he scored 25* off just 11 deliveries to seal the deal for the Perth Scorchers against the Brisbane Heat. 

He’s now a key member of the Perth Scorchers setup and also continued his terrific form in the Indian Premier League as well. The 22-year-old has already made his international debut in all three formats for Australia.

Connolly will bat at number three for the Punjab Kings and will be a key batter for them, especially after his heroics in the first game against GT. 

Cooper Connolly can’t bowl for at least the first 7 games in IPL 2026

Apart from his batting prowess, Cooper Connolly also bowls left-arm orthodox, which makes him a very valuable pick for any team. However, he’s currently recovering from a back injury, and he’s not allowed to bowl for at least sevem games in the IPL before he’s fully fit. 

Cricket Australia (CA) has confirmed this, which means that the all-rounder won’t be able to bowl until the end of April 2026 and will play as a specialist batter till then. 

It’s exactly the same situation with Australian all-rounder Cameron Green, who’s part of the Kolkata Knight Riders for IPL 2026. The Aussie all-rounder will bat at three and won’t bowl for a few more matches due to his recovery from injury.

This had created a controversy after KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane said “Ask Cricket Australia” on why Green is not bowling to which Cricket Australia had issued a statement.