‘It will be exciting to get back to bowling’ – Australian allrounder targets Ashes return

Australian allrounder Cameron Green remains uncertain about whether he will continue batting at No. 3 in the upcoming Ashes series, but confirmed that his return to bowling is expected to come through Sheffield Shield cricket rather than the ODI or T20I series against India that precedes the Test summer.

The 26-year-old has occupied the No. 3 position in each of Australia’s last four Tests, the World Test Championship final and the three-match series in the West Indies, where he featured purely as a batter while continuing his recovery from back surgery in October last year.

Although his overall returns at No. 3 have been modest, Green’s recent contributions were highly valued within the Australian camp. His scores of 46 and 42 in Kingston stood out as the second and third-highest individual innings of a low-scoring contest in which only four players managed more than 24 runs. His composure at the crease suggested that he is gradually adapting to the demands of the pivotal role.

Speaking ahead of the second ODI against South Africa in Mackay on Thursday, August 21, Green admitted he was still unsure if he would retain the No. 3 spot for the first Ashes Test in Perth this November. He acknowledged that the balance of Australia’s top order remains undecided, with selectors set to weigh up options before finalising the batting line-up for the marquee series.

“I’m not too sure what the plan will be. I’ve really enjoyed the opportunity at No. 3, but it’s all about what works best for the team heading into such an important summer,” said Green as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

Green also confirmed that his bowling workload will be carefully managed, with his likely return coming in Sheffield Shield cricket. This will allow him to gradually build up overs in a controlled environment ahead of the Ashes. His dual role as a batting allrounder remains vital to Australia’s balance, especially with the upcoming home Ashes series against England carrying significant importance in the new World Test Championship cycle.

"You never know. I think there's certainly a lot of guys that can fill that role. I'm really proud that I was able to do a role up there. But, yeah, wait and see," said Green.

If Green does not continue at No. 3, it could significantly alter the balance of Australia’s top six. With Steven Smith and Travis Head locked in at No. 4 and No. 5, Beau Webster’s position at No. 6 could come under pressure, especially if Green resumes bowling and strengthens his case as an allrounder.

Usman Khawaja is expected to open, but the second opener’s spot is less certain, with Sam Konstas facing competition from Jake Weatherald, as indicated by chairman of selectors George Bailey. The attention will also remain on Marnus Labuschagne, whose form leading into the Ashes is considered crucial.

There was not much to take away from Caribbean tour: Green

Konstas’ place has already come under scrutiny following a difficult series in the Caribbean, where he struggled on testing pitches. Green suggested that the conditions in that series made it difficult to draw firm conclusions about players’ form, hinting that the selectors would weigh performances in more comparable home conditions before making decisions.

"It was such tough wickets, especially for the batters, so to try and get out the series unscathed I think was a good effort. There wasn't much to take away from that. I think it was just trying to survive, really, and find a way to score some runs. Yeah, I don't think we'll be playing on many wickets quite like that,” said Green.

Sheffield cricket really worked out for me: Green

Green is expected to be available to bowl in the Ashes as he continues to build up his workload. He has not bowled in either of the recent T20I series against West Indies or South Africa and is currently featuring as a specialist batter in the ongoing three-match ODI series.

Following the ODIs, Australia’s schedule includes three T20Is against New Zealand starting October 1, followed by three home ODIs against India from October 19 to 25. That series will be immediately followed by a five-match T20I contest against India from October 29 to November 8, before the Ashes begin on November 21.

Green is understood to be prioritising red-ball preparation ahead of the Ashes, with Western Australia scheduled to play three Sheffield Shield matches in the lead-up. The fixtures include games against New South Wales at the WACA Ground on October 4, Tasmania at Bellerive Oval on October 15, and South Australia on October 28.

"In the past, it worked really well when I focused on Shield cricket. So I think that potentially might be the way to go down, especially with working my way back with bowling. Potentially getting a few more overs over a few more days might be the best way to go about it,” said Green.

"I'm not quite certain on what match [I'll return to bowling], but I'm feeling really good, in a really good spot. It's exciting being back bowling at a reasonable intensity. It's been a long road back," he added.

Western Australia are scheduled to host Queensland in a fourth Sheffield Shield match on November 11, but it is considered unlikely that Green would feature so close to the start of the Ashes. He has previously benefited from a similar approach, most notably in 2024, when he was rested from a T20I series in New Zealand to remain in Australia for red-ball cricket.

That decision paid dividends as he struck a century for Western Australia against Tasmania in a Shield fixture that coincided with Australia’s T20Is, before going on to score a career-best 174 not out in the opening Test in Wellington. Green, along with Australia’s wider batting unit, is also seeking form heading into the second ODI against South Africa in Mackay on Friday. The first match in Cairns highlighted the team’s struggles, with Green among five batters dismissed by left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj.

"Obviously Maharaj bowled beautifully, a couple of their batters batted really well. We didn't want to debrief it too much. I think we know we're a good team. We've had a lot of success the last few months. So to deep dive into it is probably not the right way to go about it. There's certainly things we need to improve on. I think we just had a reasonable off day, but there's plenty of one-day cricket coming up, so hopefully we can turn that around,” Green concluded.