Cameron Green’s late push to play the first Test against India has taken a “significant step” with coaching staff surprised by the speed of his recovery.
The star all-rounder is returning from a broken finger which is expected to at least stop him from bowling in Nagpur this week, if not rule him out altogether.
But when speaking to reporters on Saturday, Australia coach Andrew McDonald said that Green’s progress has been quicker than expected, giving selectors hope of an early recovery.
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Nonetheless, he suggested that Green remains touch-and-go with some discomfort in the finger remaining.
“We’ve got a fair bit to work through him before the first Test match. We haven’t put a clear line through him or put him on the team-sheet yet,” he said, according to cricket.com.au.
“I wouldn’t say he was in discomfort when he was bowling. One of the deliveries jarred the bottom of the bat and that can create discomfort for anyone.
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“There’s a bit of awareness around that finger. He’s made some significant steps forward in the last couple of days, probably to my surprise.
“There’s still an outside chance that, everything going well, he might be on the team sheet.”
Green was only cleared to return to training on Monday and is now, according to the publication, at around 85 per cent — he still cannot fully bend the finger.
On Friday, he reportedly bowled for about 30 minutes at a low intensity, while he also batted, facing throwdowns and spinners in a lengthy session.
Should Green not be cleared to play, a No.6 showdown between Matthew Renshaw and Peter Handscomb is most likely given their ability against spin bowling.
Green’s absence would also have a knock-on effect in the bowling department given Australia would be short of a fifth option.
If the conditions favour spin, that slack could be picked up by Travis Head while Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith are also more-than-capable of offering some part-time tweakers.
The first Test in Nagpur starts on Thursday at 3pm (AEDT).