Australia all-rounder Cameron Green is in race against time to regain fitness ahead of the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy series after he was ruled out of the remainder of the ongoing ODI series against England with a back injury.
News of Green's injury broke on the afternoon of the fourth ODI between England and Australia at Lord's, with cricket.com.au reporting that Green initially complained of soreness following the third ODI at Durham before scans revealed an injury.
The severity of the injury is yet to be determined but with the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series beginning in fewer than two months, Green may be in a race against time to regain full fitness.
The towering all-rounder will not be a straightforward player to replace. Green, alongside Mitch Marsh, was one of two seam bowling all-rounders used by Australia during their 2023/24 home summer, but was generally used ahead of his fellow Western Australian with the ball. In the last year, Green has been utilised with the ball in all but four times he's taken the field for Australia in international cricket. Marsh, on the other hand, has taken the field and not bowled 29 times in the last 12 months.
Middle order log jam fixed?
After Marsh successfully re-established himself in the Australia XI towards the back-end of the 2023 Ashes, Green was moved up to No. 4 for the subsequent home summer.
It was a move that brought instant rewards for the 25-year-old. He averaged 50 in his new position in a run that saw him hit an unbeaten 174 against New Zealand in Wellington where none of his teammates passed 40.
Green's accommodation at four was made possible by Steve Smith's promotion up to the top of the order after David Warner's retirement from Test cricket after the home series against Pakistan. In his four Tests opening, Smith averaged under 30 with the bat though did score 91 not out in defeat to West Indies at the Gabba, nearly taking his side home in a tricky fourth innings chase.
Fast forward to the start of the 2024/25 Australian summer and reports circulating around the Aussie camp suggest that Smith would prefer a return to his previous spot at four. Prior to Green's injury, it was unclear who would then take up the vacant spot to partner Usman Khawaja at the top of the order. Both Green and Travis Head, who has generally batted at No. 5 for Australia in recent times, were mooted as possible options to open to vacate a middle order berth for Smith.
If Green is indeed ruled out of at least the start of the series, it gives Australia a different question to answer. With Green absent, Australia are almost certain to field a middle order of Labuschagne, Smith, Head and Marsh, leaving a vacancy up top.
The candidates to open alongside Khawaja?
Australia will most likely turn to someone who has done the job before. Matt Renshaw is perhaps the most likely to earn a recall given his status as the spare batter selected for Australia's tour of New Zealand earlier this year. Other options include Cameron Bancroft, who was the second highest run-scorer in last year's Sheffield Shield, and Marcus Harris, who last played Test cricket towards the end of the 2021/22 Ashes.
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