Green didn’t bat throughout Australia’s first coaching session at Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur. He did do some health work and light-weight centre-wicket bowling, however Australia have opted for a cautious method to his restoration given he had surgical procedure to insert pins in his finger solely 5 weeks in the past.
“But it is unlikely, I believe.”
This would mean that Australia pick a specialist batter at No. 6 and just four bowlers for the first Test.
Matt Renshaw or Peter Handscomb?
Handscomb has also done a lot of short-leg training in the lead-up to the Test both in Bengaluru and in Nagpur, although Renshaw has also done some close-in fielding work, at silly mid-off. Both men are good close catchers but Handscomb is the more experienced of the two in those roles.
Australia look set to play two spinners and two quicks with the surface looking extremely dry two days out from the start of the Test.
“It’s fairly dry,” Smith said. “Particularly one finish that I believe will take a little bit of spin, significantly the left-arm spinner spinning it again into our left-handers. There’s a piece there that is fairly dry. Other than that, I am unable to actually get gauge on it.
“I don’t think there will be a heap of bounce in the wicket. I think for the seamers it will be quite skiddy and maybe a bit of up-and-down movement as the game goes on. The cracks felt quite loose. We’ll wait and see when we get out there.”
If the floor does appear like it should spin huge from ball one, Australia may need thought of three spinners, however with Green set to be unavailable, that choice appeared off the desk.
“I think if Green was fit it definitely be more of an option,” Smith stated. “Without him, maybe. I’m not entirely sure. I think we’ve got a strategy meeting this afternoon where we’ll have a talk about what we think but ultimately it’s down to the selectors to pick the team they think is best for the surface.”