Cameron Green Leaves Batting Position Decision to Australia for Newlands Test

Cameron Green has confirmed his availability following his recovery from injury and is open to alter batting positions again, depending on what Australia’s selectors decide for the last Test in Cape Town. However, he believes he is most suited to No. 4 or 5.

Cameron Green bowled during training at Newlands on Saturday, but he will be unable to bowl in the last Test owing to an abdominal injury received in the final one-day international against South Africa on September 30. “I’m all good to go,” he claimed. “Pretty surprised with how quick it’s actually healed or how functional I feel only a few weeks after.”

Cameron Green’s return to the starting lineup is nearly certain, which means that the side that lost by an innings and 31 runs in Gqeberha will make at least one change, and the batting order could shift in a variety of ways. Beau Webster, Nic Maddinson, and Marnus Labuschagne are all under pressure to secure their berths, but Labsuchagne is set to get another chance.

Cameron Green might return to No. 5, where he enjoyed success against Bangladesh in August, if he replaces Maddinson, which would necessitate a reshuffle of the order. Matt Renshaw would most likely return to open. Green would have to move if Renshaw, who hit 272 runs in the first Test, remains in that position.

He hit a career-best 174 not out against New Zealand in Wellington in 2024 while batting at No. 4, where he has spent the majority of his domestic first-class career. However, it seems unlikely that Steven Smith will be relocated from that position.

Australian batting averages at No. 5 (53.36) and No. 6 (36.33) have shifted dramatically since 2025. “I think I’ve had a lot of experience up and down the order,” Green said. “We’ve had some incredible cricket players bat at four and five, but I believe I’m a good fit for those positions. Moving up and down the order based on the team’s preferences makes me very happy.

After struggling to manage the demands of becoming an all-format batter, particularly the impact of T20 cricket, Cameron Green finds a more natural cadence to his batting during the Bangladesh series, when he performs his best in long-form cricket. “Certainly [the Tests] up in Mackay and Darwin were huge positives in kind of how I wanted to play the game,” he replied. “There are probably learnings I took from the last Shield game I played, [in] kind of how I wanted to play and it felt pretty natural to me.”

Cameron Green has previously faced South Africa in three Tests.

He had a courageous half-century at the MCG in 2022, despite injuring his finger after being hit by Anrich Nortje. After recovering from a back injury that stopped him from playing in the 2024-2025 season, he batted third in the World Test Championship final last year. Before dropping down the order in the Ashes, he had more success in the role during the West Indies tour, scoring 4 and 0 at Lord’s before being dismissed both times by Kagiso Rabada.

Despite not having batted in the middle for nearly a month, Rabada and Marco Jansen combined for 12 wickets to help tie the series, but Green is excited about the prospect of playing them with the series on the line.

“They’re obviously at the very top of their game at the moment,” he replied. “They are most certainly one of the world’s top bowlers. You always enjoy the hardships. You want to confront those people and show your ability.”

Cameron Green highlighted the unusual nature of his injuries incurred in Potchefstroom, two balls after being hit “where you don’t want to get hit” by Corbin Bosch. “I think there’s definitely a pretty clear link between getting hit and then doing the injury,” Green said.

He swung for six on the next delivery, but suffered significant harm on the next ball when he attempted to draw. I went to play a shot just behind the wicket after two deliveries. Naturally, I had to stretch my muscle, and I feel that after being struck, my muscle wanted to remain immobile. I believe the muscle strain resulted in a lower abdominal injury.

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Cameron Green, however, is still concerned about what November may bring when he returns home. Before the Test team flies to Perth for the series against New Zealand, Western Australia has two Sheffield Shield matches that coincide with the ODI and T20I series against England. The selectors also favor that format because the ODI World Cup is in less than a year, and many Test players may not play in the T20Is.

Vivaan Mehta

Vivaan Mehta covers fixtures, results, player form, and cricket trends. He shares practical context and key takeaways for readers following the sport.