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Australia is anxious to see how Cameron Green’s back ailment plays out since it will complicate the team selection for the Test series against India based on his availability.
Green, 25, was airlifted home from the UK following the third ODI against England when he complained of stiffness in his lower back. He had a scan in the UK, but more consultations are scheduled for Perth this week after Australia’s medical personnel return home after Sunday’s series-clinching game in Bristol.
Although the extent of the injury is yet unknown, it is obvious how bad it is because he was flown home in the middle of the series. Throughout his career, Green has already experienced four stress fractures on his lower back, all of which occurred before to his 2020 Test debut. It is unknown, though, if this is a new injury or a repeat of the previous one.
Given that the selectors had previously stated that the top six would not alter barring injury, Australia’s Test selection for the forthcoming Border-Gavaskar series was already problematic due to the potential for Steven Smith to fall back down the order, which led to discussion about who might open.
If Green is completely ruled out of action, Smith could immediately return to the starting lineup at number four. Matt Renshaw, Cameron Bancroft, and Marcus Harris could all be vying for a Test recall, and Nic Maddinson could also make a move after a scorching summer.
If Green is fit to play Test cricket as a batsman exclusively, and the selectors feel him valuable enough to pick, then the debate about who bats where will rage on.
It is quite improbable that he will be available to bowl, though, in either case. Since Green and Mitchell Marsh were selected together in Australia’s past four Test matches, there has been criticism from the outside over the necessity of having two pace-bowling all-rounders in the starting XI. Nonetheless, captain Pat Cummins has already emphasised the value of having both at his disposal to use during a closely contested five-Test series against India, and their combined presence was a major factor in enabling Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc to play all seven Tests without the need for a break last summer.
Marsh’s overs become much more crucial in Green’s absence. However, there are significant doubts about Marsh’s capacity to manage that task. Having not bowled in a match since a hamstring injury terminated his IPL in April, he only bowled four overs in the eight white-ball matches he played in the UK. After those four overs at Lord’s, he pulled up sore and was unable to play two days later at Bristol.
In a Test match, Australia will be without seam bowling support in their XI against India if Green plays and Marsh gets injured. The selectors would be concerned in such a situation. It might result in Beau Webster or Aaron Hardie being given the opportunity to enter the Test frame.
After a fantastic white-ball tour of the UK, Hardie has strengthened his case, but he still needs to demonstrate that he is a genuine top-six batsman for Test cricket because he hasn’t played much red-ball cricket recently.
Webster is coming off the second-best all-around season in Shield history. He grabbed 30 wickets at 29.30 and scored 938 runs at 58.62. But there will be a question as to whether that translates on Test pitches given his pace is generally sub-130kph.
The debate was already complicated. Green’s injury only adds another layer.