Daily Times

SYDNEY: All-rounder Cameron Green will make his Test debut against India in the first game of the series in Adelaide if he comes through concussion protocols, Australia coach Justin Langer said on Tuesday. The 21-year-old was struck on the head when bowling to Jasprit Bumrah last week in an Australia ‘A’ game and replaced under the sport’s concussion rules. Green is expected to train with the Australia squad over the next two days and undergo testing for any lingering concussion symptoms ahead of the day-night match, which begins on Thursday.

“If he’s passed fit he’ll definitely play,” Langer told reporters on Tuesday. “We’re just going through the concussion protocols. “If Cameron gets through the protocols and he gets through training and he feels good … he’ll make his test debut, which is very, very exciting for Australian cricket, for him and his family.”

The hosts will also anxiously wait on the fitness of batting mainstay Steve Smith who missed Tuesday’s training with lower-back soreness, according to a report on a Cricket Australia website. An Australian team spokesman said Smith was not in risk of missing the opening Test and was expected to attend practice on Wednesday, the report added. Langer said that the selection of the opening batsmen was proving to be one of the harder decisions he faced ahead of the Test, with David Warner and Will Pucovski out injured and Joe Burns out of form.