IPL 2023: Cameron Green suffered a finger injury during the second MCG Test against Australia last week. While reports suggested that he would not be able to bowl initially in IPL, the all-rounder has brushed aside the rumours.
Young Australian all-rounder Cameron Green is stumped by talks that he will be unable to bowl in the early part of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023, declaring that he will be "100% available" to bat and bowl for record five-time former champion Mumbai Indians (MI). Stories have spread that Green, who suffered a broken finger after being struck by a bouncer off pacer Anrich Nortje during the second MCG Boxing Day Test versus South Africa, would only be able to bowl in IPL 2023 after April. However, the 23-year-old, owned by the most flourishing IPL franchise for ₹17.50 crore -- the second-most priciest player in the IPL auction history -- rubbished the words on Thursday, stating that he doesn't know how and where the news originated.
"No, that's not correct. I've heard about this for quite a while now. I need to find out where it's come from. I've heard that I'm 100 per cent available for both skill sets in the IPL at the start, so yeah, I'm not too sure where that's come from," SEN cited Green.
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Due to finger injuries, Green and seamer Mitchell Starc are missing the third and final Test versus South Africa, currently underway at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). After retiring on Day 2 of the Boxing Day Test following the injury, the all-rounder returned on Day 3 to complete his half-century. At the same time, Australia won the second Test to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-Test series.
Doctors have suggested surgery for Green, and he is anticipated to be fit for the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in India, scheduled to get underway on February 9. Green expressed he had set his sights on the opening Test in India. "My priority is the Test series that's beforehand. I think me and Starcy [Starc] are maybe touch and go for that first one [Test], but obviously, we'll give ourselves the best chance," he announced.
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Green conveyed that the money earned during the IPL auction in Kochi recently will be fine for him when playing his natural game. "Yeah, obviously it [auction] turned out well, but I think at the same time you want to go out there and perform and kind of re-pay the faith they showed you," said Green.
"Having the right people around you keeps you pretty humble, in a way. You've got the right people to drag you down if you get too ahead of yourself and bring you back up when you're not as great as you like. I think that's cricket. It's a game of failures. You're going to fail more than you succeed. As long as you have the right people around you, bringing you back up is probably key," concluded Green.
(With inputs from PTI)