Cameron Green’s Spine Injury Rules Him Out of India Test Series
Australian all-rounder Cameron Green will miss the upcoming five-Test series against India due to a spine injury that requires surgery this week. The 25-year-old experienced back pain during Australia’s ODI tour of England in September and was immediately sent home for further evaluation.
According to Cricket Australia, Green has a unique defect in an area adjacent to the fracture that is believed to be contributing to the injury. After thorough consultation, it was determined that surgery would be the best course of action to stabilize the defect and reduce the risk of future recurrence.
The recovery time for Green is expected to be around six months, which means he will not only miss the India series but also the Test tour of Sri Lanka in February and the ICC Champions Trophy tournament. Cricket Australia emphasized that the decision to proceed with surgery was made with Green’s long-term future as an all-rounder in mind.
Green’s absence will be a significant loss for the Australian team, as he has been a valuable fifth bowling option alongside Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, and Nathan Lyon. In his 28 Test appearances, Green has taken 35 wickets and scored 1,377 runs, including a remarkable 174 not out against New Zealand in March, showcasing his abilities as a pure batsman.
The injury to Green is a blow to Australia’s hopes of retaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in India. The all-rounder has been in excellent form in recent months, scoring a century in the first Test against the West Indies in Perth and taking five wickets in the second Test in Adelaide.
Australia will now have to find a replacement for Green in their squad for the India series. The most likely candidate is all-rounder Mitchell Marsh, who has been in good form for Western Australia in the Sheffield Shield.
