A spot in the Australian test side has opened up due to the absence of all-rounder Cameron Green, who is set for back surgery.
Green could miss up to six months after it was confirmed that he will go under the knife to rectify a persistent back issue that saw him withdrawn from Australia's white-ball tour of England.
It is understood that the 25-year-old has suffered from a "unique defect" but ultimately decided to have surgery as opposed to consistent rehabilitation and the potential to only feature in the test side as a batter.
โAustralian allrounder Cameron Green will undergo surgery to address a stress fracture of the lumbar spine this week,โ CA confirmed in a statement.
โThe extent of the fracture was revealed in follow-up scans and extensive assessment after he reported lower back pain on the recent tour of the UK.
โWhilst spine stress fractures are not unusual in pace bowlers, Cam has a unique defect in an adjacent area to the fracture that is believed to be contributing to the injury.
โAfter thorough consultation, it was determined Cameron would benefit from the surgery to stabilise the defect and reduce the risk of future recurrence.
โThe surgery has been performed successfully with elite pace bowlers in the past.
โRecovery time is anticipated to be around six months. The decision to proceed to surgery is with Cameron's long-term future as an all-rounder in mind.โ
Christchurch surgeons Grahame Inglis and Rowan Schouten, which involves screws and titanium wire to bind vertebrae together, will perform Green's surgery.
Green will miss the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against India, two Tests against Sri Lanka, the Champions Trophy in Pakistan and likely some, if not all, of the Indian Premier League season.
His absence at No.4 could put former test captain Steve Smith in the position, while Marcus Harris and Cameron Bancroft could be brought in as openers.
As for ball-in-hand to replace Green's overs, Mitch Marsh looms as the likely cover.
