Australia head coach Justin Langer on Tuesday said that Cameron Green will make his Test debut in the first match of the Border-Gavaskar series beginning Thursday at the Adelaide Oval if declared fit.
Green is undergoing concussion protocols after getting hit on the head during a warm-up tie against the touring Indians last Friday and had to be substituted. Green’s test on Tuesday yielded positive results. Langer, however, said that the all-rounder will play only as a batsman.
“Yeah, if he is passed fit, he will definitely play. We are just going through the protocols, the concussion protocols. It was a very unusual incident that happened to him. If Cameron gets through the protocols and gets through training and he is feeling good, he will play,” said Langer.
“I have seen him last night. He had a big smile on his face. He had another test this morning that we got good news. He is a terrific young bloke. He is obviously an excellent talent. He has earned the right to selection through his performance in Sheffield Shield cricket so if he is fit and available then he will make his Test debut which is very exciting for Australian cricket, him, and his family,” he added.
The head coach, who took charge of the Australian team following the Sandpapergate controversy, further said Green will play more as a batsman than anything else as he has earned his right to play by the runs he has scored.
“I have said over the last few weeks, he has earned his right. It was different in ODI cricket because of the way we set up our team. He needed to bowl to play and he bowled a couple of overs. But in Test cricket, he has earned the right. We talked about six batsmen who can score hundreds and if they can bowl overs that is a bonus. In Cameron’s case, he can bowl a few overs but he has earned the right purely through the weight of his runs and that is a great credit to him as a young player. He deserves to get selected if he does,” said the 50-year-old.
Green’s potential availability will be good news for Australia, which has been hit by a spate of injury issues in recent times.
