The allrounder won’t bowl this series but could return as a batter
Cameron Green won’t play in the first Test against South Africa starting on Friday, Australia coach Andrew McDonald confirmed on Tuesday.
Green injured his abdominal while batting during the third ODI against the Proteas in Potchefstroom last week and sat out the Aussies’ two-day tour match that followed.
And McDonald told reporters from Durban’s Kingsmead Stadium that while the allrounder wouldn’t feature in the series opener there is still hope he can play a role before the tour ends.
“He’s progressing pretty well, all things considered, on the back of the injury that he had to his abdominals,” McDonald said.
“He’s still here for a reason, so there is some light at the end of the tunnel.
“It’ll just be a matter of going through the rehab. He’s got a pretty demanding week this week as he reintroduces a few activities … It’s a bit of an unknown, but there’s still optimism that he’ll take part in the series at some stage.”
The Australia coach hinted Green would likely have a few net sessions during the Test as he races to prove his fitness but stated that the chances of the 27-year-old bowling in the final two Tests was “highly unlikely” and “too-high risk” given his recent shoulder issues.
Green was present for Australia’s training session three days out from the first Test but stood off to the side as his teammates went through a 45-minute fielding session in the early afternoon.
It’s a cruel blow for the West Aussie who was Australia’s best batter during the 1-1 series draw with Bangladesh in August, scoring a breakthrough century during the first Test in Darwin.
The nature of the injury caught the visitors’ medical staff by surprise after he was injured and dismissed on the same ball. Having just followed up being hit in the box by a Corbin Bosch beamer with a big six over the leg-side, Green’s attempted pull shot bounced off his gloves and into the hands of wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock. To injure the abdominal muscles while playing such a shot is considered unusual by the Aussies.
“It had our medical team scrambling,” McDonald explained.
“There’s not a hell of a lot of evidence in these injuries in cricket.
“I hate talking about medical stuff … They said it’s a stabilising muscle, so I think that’s a better result than a rotational muscle. But I’m trying to relay that there is a path where he can play in this Test series at some point.”
Qantas tour of South Africa 2026
All matches to be broadcast exclusively in Australia on Kayo and Fox Cricket
First Test: October 9-13, Kingsmead Stadium, Durban, 6:30pm AEDT (9:30am local)
Second Test: October 18-22, St George’s Park, Gqeberha, 7pm AEDT (10am local)
Third Test: October 27-31, Newlands, Cape Town, 7:30pm AEDT (10:30am local)
South Africa’s first Test preliminary squad: Temba Bavuma (c), Marques Ackerman, David Bedingham, Corbin Bosch, Gerald Coetzee, Tony de Zorzi, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Anrich Nortje, Dane Paterson, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne
Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Cameron Green, Sam Harper, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (second Test onwards), Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nic Maddinson, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster