IND vs AUS 2022-23: Cameron Green was ruled out of the ongoing Boxing Day second MCG Test against South Africa with a finger injury. However, he has vowed to work hard and return more robust for the India tour in February 2023.
Injured Australian all-rounder Cameron Green has said he will do everything possible to be fit for the gruelling four-Test series against India, beginning in early February next year, as it was a massive assignment. The 23-year-old, who emerged as the second-highest earner ever in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL) Auctions in Kochi recently, will miss the third and final Test against South Africa at Sydney due to a fractured index finger. However, Green said he wants to be quickly ready for the "mentally and physically" challenging India tour.
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy tour is crucial for both India and Australia as the ICC World Test Championship 2021-23 final slots are at stake for both sides. Green wants to take advantage of the opportunity to be part of such an important series. "It hurts not playing for Australia. I've played every game since I debuted, so it's going to feel a bit weird watching Test cricket from home," said Green, who suffered a severe finger injury after getting hit by an Anrich Nortje bouncer on Tuesday.
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The tall all-rounder batted through the pain on Wednesday to score an unbeaten half-century before Australia declared their first innings at 575/8 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Day 3. Though ruled out of the Sydney Test, the all-rounder who went to record five-time former champion Mumbai Indians (MI) for ₹17.5 crore during the IPL Auction has set his sights on the India series.
"It's a great environment to be a part of [the Australian dressing room], so I'm going to miss it [Sydney Test]. I will do as much as possible to get it right and go to India. Many people talk about the journey to India and how mentally and physically tough it is. It's going to be a massive tour for us. We're as best prepared as we're ever going to be, so looking forward to it," Green was quoted as saying by Cricket Australia (CA) on Wednesday.
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Though Green did not specify a return date, he hoped the January 4-8 Test at Sydney would be the only match he would likely miss. Braving the pain of the broken right index finger, Green gave Alex Carey company helping him reach his century before the wicketkeeper-batter was caught and bowled by Marco Jansen.
"You try not to show the pain straight away. I marked my guard again, walked a couple of steps, and said, 'I reckon my finger is out of place here'. I checked on it -- it looked inverted is the only way I can explain it. It already had a big cut in it, then I got the bad news after the scan," said Green.
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Green added 45 more runs on Wednesday, becoming the first Australian in four years to score a half-century and grab five wickets in the same Test. "There are only a few shots you can play [after such an injury], and everything apart from that, you have to defend. It's a funny thing when you're in that mindset. You're clear on what you have to do," he concluded.
(With inputs from PTI)