Border Gavaskar Trophy: Green’s ‘surprise’ progress leaves McDonald hopeful forward of first Test 

Australia coach Andrew McDonald stays hopeful Cameron Green can characteristic in opposition to India when the primary check between the nations begins in Nagpur on Thursday after the all-rounder’s finger damage made “significant” enchancment.

Green broken his proper index finger throughout the Boxing Day check win over South Africa in Melbourne and was solely given clearance to return to coaching by his physician on Monday following surgical procedure.

The 23-year-old bowled with gentle balls for half-hour within the nets on the Australian camp in Bangalore earlier than doing an hour’s batting apply. McDonald stated Green nonetheless had progress to make earlier than he might be thought of for the sequence opener.

“We’ve got a fair bit to work through him before the first test match,” McDonald instructed reporters. “We haven’t put a transparent line via him or put him on the team-sheet but.

“I wouldn’t say he was in discomfort when he was bowling. One of the deliveries jarred the underside of the bat, and that may create discomfort for anybody.

“There’s a little bit of consciousness round that finger. He’s made some vital steps ahead within the final couple of days, in all probability to my shock.

“There’s still an outside chance that, everything going well, he might be on the team sheet.”

With Green unlikely to have the ability to bowl within the first check, captain Pat Cummins appears to be like like being paired with Josh Hazlewood within the assault with Mitchell Starc but to reach in India as he additionally recovers from a finger damage. Cummins acknowledged the make-up of Australia’s bowling line-up remained unclear.

“I wouldn’t say (picking two spinners) is a given,” he stated. “It’s very situations dependent, notably this primary check, so as soon as we get to Nagpur, we’ll see.

“I feel typically, speaking about a few spinners, you neglect how good quite a lot of our quick bowlers have been in all situations.

“We’ve acquired loads of bowling choices right here – finger-spin, wrist-spin, left arm (tempo) when Starcy comes again on-line.

“We’ll obviously pick the bowlers that we think can take 20 wickets – how are we going to split that up I’m not 100% sure yet.”