Cameron Green set to miss six months as ‘unique defect’ adjacent to stress fracture forces him into surgery

Cameron Green will miss Australia’s entire five-Test series against India after opting to undergo surgery on a stress fracture in his back.

Cricket Australia confirmed the all-rounder would need about six months to recover from this week’s procedure, meaning he will also miss the Test tour of Sri Lanka that begins in January.

Scans revealed a “unique defect” in an area adjacent to the fracture, which was diagnosed after Green reported back pain during the recent white-ball tour of the UK.

The all-rounder’s absence is a big blow to an Australian side that has lost its past two home Test series against India and leaves selectors to reconfigure the batting line-up.

Any one of opening batters Matthew Renshaw, Marcus Harris or Cameron Bancroft could come into the side if Australia decide to push Steve Smith down the order to replace Green at number four.

Alternatively, uncapped Aaron Hardie or Beau Webster are like-for-like options if Australia want to bring in an all-rounder, although Hardie is recovering from a quadriceps injury of his own.

AAP