Cameron Green: Australian selectors set to drop early hint as all-rounder faces injury crisis

Australian selectors will provide an early steer on potential replacements for Cameron Green when they unveil an Australia A squad, as fears linger over the all-rounder’s fitness.

EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND - SEPTEMBER 07: Australia batsman Cameron Green raises his bat after reaching his half century during the 3rd Men's T20 between Scotland and Australia at The Grange Club on September 07, 2024 in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Australian selectors will provide an early steer on potential replacements for Cameron Green when they unveil an Australia A squad within the next week.

Amid lingering fears about whether Green will feature at all during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, selectors George Bailey and Tony Dodemaide have been watching Sheffield Shield action in Sydney and Melbourne respectively in what is the last red-ball chance for contenders to stake a claim before what shapes as a potential bat-off starting later in the month.

Teen prodigy Sam Konstas’s maiden first-class century on Tuesday shapes as a neat piece of timing given it will be at the forefront of the panel’s minds when they settle on a squad for the two four-dayers between the A sides, the first of which begins in Mackay on October 31.

There is concern Cameron Green will miss the entire Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. Picture: Getty Images

Marcus Harris would likely have been in the frame anyway however his day one ton did his chances no harm. The same can be said for his Victorian teammate Peter Handscomb, who also posted a century against Tasmania, and South Australian captain Nathan McSweeney who made a stoddgy 55 against NSW on day two at Cricket Central.

The importance of the A series, that in part overlaps with three one-day internationals against Pakistan, has been underscored by the ongoing mystery surrounding the severity of Green’s back injury suffered during the third one-dayer of last month’s one-day tour of England.

Both the A squad and the one-day squad are set to be revealed early next week.

Against a backdrop of wildly varying reports about the all-rounder’s fitness, Cricket Australia has indicated it will provide an update on the West Australian by the end of the business week.

Green will almost certainly be ruled out of bowling for much of the five-Test series against India however beyond that point the messages are mixed, oscillating from hopes Green will be available to start the series as a specialist batter to concerns he will undergo surgery and be ruled out of the entire summer.

CA has not publicly confirmed the situation either way.

The loss of Cameron Green will leave a sizable hole in Australia’s lineup, both as the side’s clear fifth bowling option and handy batter. Picture: Getty Images

In any case Green will leave a sizeable hole given his status as the side’s clear fifth bowling option when fit, heightening the reliance on the frontline bowlers, all-rounder Mitch Marsh and perhaps part-timers Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne.

But should he be deemed unavailable to even bat, selectors would be forced to find an extra top six batter, potentially paving the way for Harris, Matt Renshaw or Cameron Bancroft to return to the Test XI as an opener in a move that would allow Steve Smith to switch back to the No. 4 slot.

In contrast to Harris, Bancroft (0) and Renshaw (six) have both started their respective Shield campaigns slowly in Western Australia’s clash with Queensland at the WACA Ground.

Despite those low scores, both discards would still be frontrunners to play at least some of the A series.

WA’s Cameron Bancroft walks from the field after being dismissed by Michael Neser. Picture: Getty Images

WA off-spinner Corey Rocchiccioli is also poised to feature in the series. The decision for Ashton Agar to play in WA’s second XI match against South Australia provided a hint that WA is expecting to be without Rocchiccioli during the A matches, meaning ex-Test tweaker Agar is likely to be needed for a rare Shield appearance.

Rocchiccioli is challenging Todd Murphy for a spot in Australia’s Test squad to tour Sri Lanka at the back end of the summer.

Selectors are expected to prioritise one-day cricket over the A series for Victorian Matt Short who shapes as a strong chance to be picked for next February’s Champions Trophy.

Short is unavailable for the Shield opener having picked up an abductor injury during the one-dayers in England.

Paceman Spencer Johnson - who missed the UK white-ball tour to injury - is back bowling and closing in on a return.

Originally published as Cameron Green: Australian selectors set to drop early hint as all-rounder faces injury crisis