All-rounder Cameron Green has been ruled out of Australia's upcoming ODI series against India. What could this mean for the Ashes?
Will Cameron Green be fit for the Ashes?
On Friday (October 17), Cricket Australia announced that Green would miss the three-match ODI series against India, which begins on Sunday, due to side soreness; usually an injury sustained while bowling.
"Green will complete a short period of rehabilitation and is tracking to return to play in round three of the Sheffield Shield to continue his preparation for the Ashes," the board added. The next round of the Sheffield Shield starts on October 28.
Green's place in the ODI squad has been taken by batter Marnus Labuschagne, who has been in stellar form in domestic cricketwith four centuries in his last five matches.
CA remain insistent that Green's injury is "low grade" and his exclusion from the ODI series is a precautionary measure.
What does Green's injury mean for Australia's Test team?
A month out from the Ashes, Australia may now have a selection headache to deal with.
Last October, Green underwent back surgery for a fifth stress fracture injury, and the recovery process meant he was out of action until April 2025. On his return, for Gloucestershire in the County Championship, he played as a specialist batter and did the same when he started playing for Australia again, versus West Indies and South Africa.
Green is expected to bat at No.3 in the Ashes, the spot he has occupied since the World Test Championship final earlier this year, unless the batting order is rejigged to accommodate another specialist batter. He made a comeback to bowling in the Sheffield Shield earlier this month, picking up a wicket with his second ball and sending down four overs in all.
Even if his current injury is not serious, it does raise questions about the kind of bowling workload he will be able to shoulder when England visit. If Australia cannot call upon his services with the ball, it may change the balance of their team.
How could Green not bowling affect Labuschagne and Webster?
The effects of Green playing as a batter alone would likely be felt most by Labuschagne and all-rounder Beau Webster. The bottom five in Australia's order are their keeper Alex Carey, and the four bowlers (Pat Cummins is also an injury doubt, but another bowler will replace him in case he is not fit).
Three of the top six are near-certainties; opener Usman Khawaja and No.s 4 & 5 Steve Smith and Travis Head. If Green were to bat at No.3, that could firm up Webster's spot at No.6, as he would then provide the fifth bowling option.
Read more: Explained: Why Beau Webster's Ashes place is in doubt, despite exceptional start to Test career
That would put Labuschagne in a tricky spot. His patchy Test form resulted in a move to opener during the WTC final, but he did not fare much better there. His recent run of domestic form has also come mainly from No.3, the Test spot he occupied before Green took it.
But if Green were locked in at three, Labuschagne would have to open in order to make the XI. The alternative would be to drop Green, and pick Labuschagne at three – not a simple choice either way.
Conversely, if Green were fit to bowl, Webster's spot could be in danger as Green could drop to No.6, and Labuschagne could slot in at first drop with a specialist opener (Sam Konstas, or an uncapped player) alongside Khawaja.
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