Australian all-rounder Cameron Green will miss the highly anticipated five-Test home series against India due to a stress fracture in his lumbar spine. The news was confirmed by a team spokesperson on Monday, who announced that Green will undergo surgery to address the injury.
The spokesperson emphasized that the decision to proceed with surgery was made with Green’s long-term future as an all-rounder in mind. The recovery time for this procedure is estimated to be around six months, effectively ruling him out of the entire India series. This injury is a major setback for Australia, who are hoping to reclaim the Border-Gavaskar Trophy from India after losing the last four series.
The issue first came to light during the ODI series in England, where Green was initially diagnosed with the stress fracture. Cricket Australia revealed that he was considering surgery with New Zealand specialists who have previously helped other fast bowlers. The alternative was to undergo rehabilitation without surgery, which would have limited Green to batting in the India series. However, the team spokesperson explained that Green’s condition was more complex, making surgery the preferred course of action.
The spokesperson further clarified that while spine stress fractures are not uncommon in pace bowlers, Green’s case presented a unique challenge. He has a defect in an adjacent area to the fracture, which experts believe is contributing to the injury. This prompted the decision to proceed with surgery, aiming to stabilize the defect and minimize the risk of future recurrence.
Green’s absence will undoubtedly impact Australia’s batting order, with the highly rated 25-year-old having established himself as a reliable number four batsman in recent Tests. His absence adds another layer of challenge to what was already expected to be a fiercely competitive series. The Australian team will now have to find a suitable replacement for Green, as they look to overcome this setback and challenge India on home soil.
