Cameron Green and Steve Waugh. (Photo Source: X(Twitter)
Former Australia skipper Steve Waugh believes Cameron Green to be the perfect replacement for David Warner, once the latter retires from Test cricket after the upcoming three-match series against Pakistan. Notably, the search is currently on as Marcus Harris, Cameron Bancroft and Matthew Renshaw are all in the scheme of things at the moment and recently featured in the Prime Minister XI, who played a four-day warm-up game against Pakistan.
However, Waugh keeps Green ahead in the race and mentioned that the all-rounder has good technique and can play fast bowling well. He added that Green can repeat what Shane Watson did and hence, believes him to be the perfect one to replace Warner and open with Usman Khawaja.
“There’s not a lot of other options available, but I’d be seriously thinking of getting Cameron Green in to open the batting. I want him in the team, because he just offers so much. He gives great balance because he bowls ten to 15 good hours, he’s a great fieldsman and I think his batting, he hasn’t quite nailed it yet, but when I (have) seen him, he’s got a good technique and he plays fast bowling well.
“And he’s batted at six so far and often you get the second new ball at six, so … I just think it could be a bit of a Shane Watson-type situation, so I’d seriously be looking at him, because I want him in the team. At the moment Mitch Marsh has obviously nailed that spot that he was in, so that’d be the way I’d possibly go,” Waugh was quoted as saying by FoxSports.
Notably, Green lost his place to Mitchell Marsh in the middle of the Ashes and is unlikely to feature in the opening game against Pakistan. He played in the warm-up game against Pakistan but couldn’t make a significant impact as he got out after 46 runs. The 24-year-old didn’t bowl as well.