Australia captain Pat Cummins expects Cameron Green to have a lot more workload with the ball against India this summer as Australia’s all-rounders are set to play an important role in ensuring the first-choice pace attack that can sustain through a five-match Test series in little more than seven weeks as well.
However, Australia were able to field an unchanged bowling attack through the seven Tests they played last season against Pakistan, West Indies and New Zealand as well. None of the matches went into a fifth day and in only three of the innings where Australia needed to bowl more than 78 overs which aided in keeping Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood fresh as well. And, Green also gave Australia an additional bowling option when he returned to the side against West Indies following David Warner’s retirement as well.
“It’s been huge [having the allrounders],” Pat Cummins said. “In some ways we haven’t had to use them as much as we thought we would. Which is a great thing. The last couple of summers have been pretty light [with] quick Test matches. I suspect this summer might be a bit different at time. We’ll be drawing on Cam Green and Mitch Marsh a bit more. Even someone like Cam basically started in Shield cricket as a bowler but hasn’t had to bowl heaps in Test matches. Now he is a few years older, I think we will be leaning on him a bit more.”
Cameron Green, who has taken 35 wickets at 35.31 in Tests, played at No. 4 earlier this year and scored a magnificent 174 not out against New Zealand in Wellington as well. There remains some uncertainty over the structure of Australia’s top six against India as veteran Steve Smith’s opening role became a debate over the next few months. Still, barring injury it is all but certain Green will be joined by Mitchell Marsh in the top six as well.
“The first point is they both absolutely make the top six on their batting alone which is a luxury,” Cummins again said at the launch of Play Cricket week. “We’re really lucky that Nathan Lyon bowls plenty of overs, so you don’t necessarily have to have an allrounder, but it makes a big difference to have that fifth bowling option. And with someone like Cam and Mitch we have six bowling options. It’s a really nice thing to have. Top six should always make the team on their batting.”
“It’s nice of them to say that, they’d never say it to my face,” Cummins joked. “When I’m at the top of their mark asking them to do something, they know I’m also doing it down the other end and wouldn’t ask for something I can’t do myself. Maybe there’s a bit of built-up trust over the last decade or so,” he concluded.
