Australia's stand-in captain, Steve Smith, has delivered a staunch defence of under-fire allrounder Cameron Green but has stopped short of guaranteeing his place in the team for the final Ashes Test against England.
Selection Dilemma for Sydney Showdown
The fifth and final Test of the series is scheduled to begin at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday 4 January. With the Ashes urn already retained by Australia, selection decisions are being made with an eye on the future and World Test Championship points.
Smith confirmed that the Australian team management is considering all options for the Sydney match. "We'll figure out [the team] once we see the surface and see which way we want to go about it," Smith stated on Saturday morning.
This leaves the door open for several possibilities, including the potential inclusion of both allrounders Green and Beau Webster, which could see Australia field a side without a specialist spinner for the third time in four Tests.
Pressure Mounts on Out-of-Form Green
The spotlight falls heavily on the 26-year-old Green, the youngest member of the Australian squad. While he has been a solid contributor with the ball during the Ashes, his batting form has been a significant concern.
Across six innings in this series, Green has managed an average of just 18.7 runs, with only one score above 24. That innings of 45 in Brisbane was marred by a premeditated shot that led to his dismissal by England's Brydon Carse.
Smith, who has experienced his own lean patches, expressed sympathy for his teammate. "We've played on some hard surfaces for batting," Smith said. "He's got himself in on a few occasions and probably not gone on with it. That's probably the disappointing part."
Webster and Murphy Waiting in the Wings
The pressure on Green is intensified by the presence of Beau Webster, who has yet to feature this series but impressed on the winter tour of the West Indies. Webster, who can bowl both spin and pace, trained in the nets alongside Green on Saturday, presenting a genuine alternative.
When asked directly if Green was a certain starter, Smith was unequivocal: "No one's locked in yet. There's 13 or 14 guys on the table."
Spin bowler Todd Murphy also faces an anxious wait. Brought into the squad as cover for the injured Nathan Lyon, Murphy's hopes of a first home Test are uncertain. Smith suggested the SCG pitch may not favour a specialist spinner, noting it is statistically one of Lyon's least productive grounds in Australia.
Smith Backs Green's Bright Future
Despite the immediate uncertainty, Smith was quick to highlight Green's past contributions and future potential. He pointed to Green's successful stint batting at number three during the West Indies tour, where he was Australia's third-highest run-scorer.
"Not too long ago he contributed some really valuable runs," Smith emphasised. "Greeny hasn't got the runs he's wanted so far but I think he's actually looked quite good at times too. Regardless of what happens right now, we think he's got a really bright future."
The final decision will hinge on the condition of the SCG pitch and Australia's strategy for the match, which also serves as a farewell for the retiring opening batsman Usman Khawaja.
