Melbourne:Cameron Green has been elevated to Australia's test XI after selectors opted not to pick a specialist opener to replace the retired David Warner for the series-opening match against West Indies.
Cricket Australia unveiled the 13-player squad Wednesday, without releasing a batting order but confirming allrounder Green would start. We have selected a team we believe contains the best six batters in the country, Australia's chief selector George Bailey said.
Matt Renshaw, who has opened for Australia, and fast bowler Scott Boland were added to the squad as cover. Speculation that Steve Smith could be moved up from No. 4 to open with Usman Khawaja has increased, with Green expected to be inserted in the middle order.
The first test against West Indies starts Jan. 17 in Adelaide. The second match will be a day-nighter in Brisbane. Warner played the last of his 112 tests in the third match of a 3-0 sweep against Pakistan in Sydney last week. Renshaw, Marcus Harris and Cameron Bancroft were all considered options to fill the vacant spot.
Bancroft, who is among the leading scorers in the domestic competition but has only played two tests since returning from his nine-month ban following the so-called Sandpapergate scandal, urged selectors to go with a specialist opener. Ultimately, though, the 24-year-old Green's immense potential was a deciding factor.
A tall fast bowler, agile fielder and technically solid batter, Green made his debut as an allrounder against India in December, 2020. He played 24 tests, averaging 33.6 with the bat and taking 30 wickets, before losing the allrounder spot to Mitch Marsh during the Ashes series in England last July.
He played in Australia's World Test Championship final win over India in London, and was also a part of the Australia squad that won the 50-over Cricket World Cup in India last November.