Cameron Green has been ruled out of Australia’s upcoming opening Test against South Africa in Durban due to an abdominal injury, head coach Andrew McDonald confirmed on Tuesday, October 6.
The 27-year-old suffered the issue while batting during the third ODI in Potchefstroom after taking a blow to the abdominal region from Corbin Bosch. He subsequently missed the two-day tour fixture to commence his recovery. But his involvement could be restricted to the role of a batter, australia are hopeful the 27-year-old all-rounder could still feature later in the series. So that there is some light at the end of the tunnel, so he’s still here for a reason.
Team management remains optimistic that Green could feature later in the fixture list, though his return might be limited strictly to batting duties. McDonald noted that the player is responding well and faces a busy week of rehabilitation and gradual skill reintroduction. According to mcDonald, Green was making good progress and will undergo a week of rehabilitation as he gradually resumes cricket-related activities. He’s got a pretty demanding week this week as he reintroduces a few activities and and you’ll see that probably play out in the net situation during lunchtime in and around the game.
“He won’t be available for the first Test match,” McDonald stated, pointing to positive signs in the recovery process. Green is scheduled to take part in practice sessions in the nets during the opening Test as part of his comeback roadmap.
Regarding potential replacements, McDonald declined to confirm whether Beau Webster would step straight into the lineup. The 32-year-old all-rounder debuted against India in Sydney in January 2025 and featured alongside Green in Bangladesh last August. And has played 10 Tests since January 2025, when he made his debut against India in Sydney, the 32-year-old all-rounder featured in the two-Test series against Bangladesh in August this year along with Green.
“I don’t think anything’s automatic,” McDonald remarked regarding team selection. He emphasized that the squad possesses versatile options to adapt to pitch conditions and match scenarios without locking in a definitive playing eleven days in advance.
