Australia’s Cameron Green in action during an ODI. The all-rounder will undergo a surgery for a stress fracture in his lower spine which will rule him out for six months, including the marquee Border Gavaskar Trophy against India. File photo
| Photo Credit: Reuters
Former Australia skipper Mark Taylor feels that all-rounder Cameron Green’s injury could open up the door for Cameron Bancroft’s Test recall in the marquee Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India next month.
Green is likely to miss the upcoming five-match Test series against India at home due to a surgery for a stress fracture on his lower back, according to reports.
The 25-year-old seam-bowling all-rounder has previously suffered four stress fractures in his back but has not encountered any issues in that area since 2019.
Green’s absence would mean Australia will have to rejig its batting order.
“It’s an awkward one isn’t it? Cam Green was out of the Australian side during the Ashes series of last year and Mitch Marsh came in but Australia were very keen to get him back in,” Taylor said on Wide World of Sports .
Bancroft was tipped to fill the opening spot post David Warner’s retirement earlier this year but the selectors recalled Green to the Test side with Steve Smith being pushed to open the innings.
However, the veteran batter didn’t fare too well at the top and Taylor believes Smith will again drop down to the number four spot.
“I think Smith will move back to No.4. So the question is who will open? I’d love to see a right-handed opening batsman get the opportunity. And to me at the moment. I would have Bancroft pencilled in alongside (Usman) Khawaja,” Taylor said.
Bancroft, who served a nine-month ban for his role in the 2018 ball-tampering incident, has been the leading run-scorer in the Sheffield Shield for the last two years.
Nod for Konstas?
Taylor feels the selectors could also include young opener Sam Konstas, who hit back-to-back hundreds against South Australia in the Sheffield Shield, in the Test squad for the Border Gavaskar Trophy.
The five-match series starts on November 22 in Perth.
‘Cam has a unique defect’: CA
Meannwhile, Cameron Green will undergo a surgery for a stress fracture in his lower spine which will rule him out for six months, including the marquee Border Gavaskar Trophy against India.
The 25-year-old seam-bowling all-rounder was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his lower back after experiencing pain during last month’s tour of the UK.
Green has previously suffered four stress fractures in his back but has not encountered any issues in that area since 2019.
While stress fractures are common among fast bowlers, Cricket Australia said Green has a “unique defect”.
“Whilst spine stress fractures are not unusual in pace bowlers, Cam has a unique defect in an adjacent area to the fracture that is believed to be contributing to the injury,” a CA statement said on Monday (October 14, 2024).
Following a week of evaluations and discussions, Green decided to opt for a similar type of surgery undergone by several pacers including Jasprit Bumrah, James Pattinson, Jason Behrendorff, and Ben Dwarshuis.
“After thorough consultation it was determined Cameron would benefit from the surgery to stabilise the defect and reduce the risk of future recurrence,” CA said.
The alternative to surgery would have involved rehabilitation and restricting his bowling during the five-match series against India, starting November 22 in Perth.
“The surgery has been performed successfully with elite pace bowlers in the past. Recovery time is anticipated to be around six-months.
“The decision to proceed to surgery is with Cameron’s long-term future as an all-rounder in mind,” the statement added.
The operation will be performed by New Zealand surgeons Grahame Inglis and Rowan Schouten, which involves screws and titanium wire to bind vertebrae together, according to ‘cricket.com.au.’ However, a six-month recovery time will mean Green misses the Border Gavaskar Trophy, February’s Test tour of Sri Lanka and the Champions Trophy tournament while his participation in the IPL is also in doubt.
Published – October 14, 2024 09:54 am IST