The immense promise of Australian all-rounder Cameron Green is being overshadowed by a series of underwhelming performances in the ongoing Ashes battle against England, leading to mounting pressure on his secure place in the Test XI.
A Series of Frustrating Dismissals
Throughout the Ashes, Green's batting has been characterised by uncharacteristic and at times reckless aggression, a stark contrast to Australia's typically more measured, working-class approach. Promoted to number five in the second Test at the Gabba, he powered to 45 before a premeditated attack saw his stumps shattered by Brydon Carse with Australia comfortably placed at 291 for three.
His struggles continued in Adelaide, where he barely scored, and in the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne, where he was run out in the first innings. In the chaotic second innings, with Australia wobbling at 119 for 6, a tentative charge at Ben Stokes resulted in a soft dismissal to second slip, a stroke described by critics as resembling "a game of cricket on the front lawn".
The Burden of a 'Generational Talent'
The reason selectors remain desperate to include him, even when his bowling is not heavily required, is his rare status as a generational talent. Standing at two metres tall, Green can bowl at speeds exceeding 140 km/h and bat in the top six, a combination Australia has craved since the era of Keith Miller.
He is also the youngest player in the side, with a career ahead of him, unlike many veteran teammates. His pedigree is undeniable: he became the youngest Sheffield Shield debutant to take a five-wicket haul at age 17 in 2017. A masterful 174 against New Zealand in March 2024 revived comparisons to greats like Ricky Ponting, while a five-wicket haul (5 for 27) against South Africa in 2022 showcased his bowling threat.
Grim Statistics and a Patient Selectors' Dilemma
However, the raw numbers from this Ashes series make for grim reading. Green has scored just 112 runs at an average of 18.66 and taken only three wickets at an expensive average of 52.66. His overall Test batting average in Australia sits at a modest 27.80 across 19 matches, with a highest score of 84 on home soil.
Some context is provided by his frequent shuffling in the batting order; over his last nine Tests, he has batted everywhere from three to eight. Furthermore, his all-round statistics after 36 Tests—a batting average of 32.5 and bowling average of 36.6—are not drastically worse than those of England's talisman, Ben Stokes, who averages 35 with the bat and 31 with the ball.
Australian selectors have historically shown patience with all-rounders, as seen with Mitch Marsh and Shane Watson. Given Green's past battles with serious back injuries, he may be afforded more time. The challenge for the team hierarchy is to settle him into a defined role and reassure him that grafting for runs, as he has done successfully at Shield level, is perfectly acceptable.
Yet, if his lean run continues, the spotlight will inevitably turn to contenders waiting in the wings, such as Tasmania's Beau Webster, potentially casting Green's prodigious gifts in an increasingly cursed light.
