What Has Happened to Cameron Green?

“He could be the next Jacques Kallis of international cricket.” — Nathan Lyon

“He’s the best bat since Ponting.” — Greg Chappell

“This boy’s gonna be the fucking best player ever.” — Glenn Maxwell

All these quotes from multiple different legends of Australian cricket could have been spoken in relation to three different players, and each one would have been honoured to receive it. Therefore, it is a clear indication of the wealth of talent Cameron Green has that all three of the above lines were spoken about him.

When looking at Green, it’s easy to see why. Six-foot-six, averaging not far off 50 in First-Class cricket with the bat, and able to hit 140km/h comfortably. However, for all of Green’s talent, he is yet to translate it into consistent Test-match performances and put up solid numbers for Australia. An average of 32.75 with the bat, and 38.94 with the ball in the longest format of the game, is a far cry from Green’s true potential. He is now 26 years old, and though there is still plenty of time left for Green to turn his career into a success, the improvement is going to have to come sooner rather than later.

Despite possessing obvious talent, Green has struggled at an international level.

Breaking Onto the Scene

Cameron Green began his professional cricketing career in some style. At the tender age of 17, he took 5-24 on First-Class debut against the Tasmanian Tigers. Given his height and ability to extract bounce and movement from seemingly any surface, Green actually began his career as a frontline bowler for Western Australia. However, a series of stress back fractures harmed his development considerably and restricted his bowling ability. As a result, Green’s game became far more focused around his initially second skill—batting. In November 2019, he notched up his maiden First-Class ton, saving Western Australia by plucking an unlikely stalemate from the jaws of defeat, as he faced down 172 deliveries, showing real character.

That summer proved to be a golden one for Green, as he posted two more red-ball hundreds. Green ultimately finished as WA’s top run scorer that season, as his average crested 60 too. An Australia call-up soon followed, and then, on December 17th, 2020, Cameron Green donned the Baggy Green for the first time in his career. It was a huge moment, and a statement of intent as Australia put their faith in a 21-year-old who already had an extensive injury record.

Green’s debut wasn’t one to remember, as he went wicketless and made just 11 with the bat. In the third Test, however, against remarkably tough opposition in India, he secured his maiden Test fifty, making a gritty 84 at the SCG. Green’s promise as an all-rounder first became apparent, however, during the 2021–2022 Ashes. He shone with the ball, picking up 13 poles at an average of 15.76, whilst twin fifties at Sydney and Hobart showed his batting ability, despite a tricky start to the series in that regard. It seemed as though Australia finally had a high-quality all-rounder capable of excelling and balancing out their Test team.

His maiden Test five-for soon followed, as he ripped through South Africa at the MCG in 2022. Perhaps even more impressive, however, in the same game, was how Green weathered a barrage of fast, hostile bowling before eventually suffering a brutal finger fracture after being struck on the glove by Anrich Nortje. Green played on through the pain, and eventually finished on 51*, helping Australia to a Test match win. His maiden Test ton came a few months later in Ahmedabad, and the emergence of a cricketer able to not only combat, but dominate spin was a very exciting prospect.

Green won the hearts of Australian supporters, as he played through the pain of a fractured finger, to score another Test fifty. Whilst taking five wickets in the same game.

White-Ball Stardom & The IPL

As if Green’s stakes couldn’t get any higher, maiden white-ball fifties and five-fers alike, in the subcontinent no less, made him an all-format superstar. Technically sound with the bat, and rapid with the ball, it was at this point when the Kallis comparisons began. It was easy to forget that Green, at this point, was just 23. When seeing his resilience and determination, as well as his technical ability with the bat, he certainly looked older though.

His multi-format skills soon scored him an IPL contract, and he did not disappoint.

Cameron Green batting numbers in the IPL 2023:

• Runs: 452
• Average: 50.22
• Strike rate: 160.28

Those numbers are genuinely outrageous, and his ability as a T20 destroyer was exemplified as he crunched a magnificent 47-ball hundred for the Mumbai Indians. In 2025, he made history as he became the most expensive overseas cricketer in IPL history, after KKR shelled out more than four million Australian dollars for his signature.

However, in Australia, Test cricket is king, and since the grit on Boxing Day, and his dazzling ton in Ahmedabad, Green had really struggled in the longest format of the game. Playing all formats took its physical toll too, and following yet more injuries, Green dropped out of the third Ashes Test after a hamstring problem. In came Mitchell Marsh to replace him, and who could have predicted that “The Bison” would go on to make 118 in his first Test match following a 1,393-day break.

Marsh took his opportunity with both hands, smashing a run a ball ton at Headingley.

Reshuffling the Order & Injury Strikes

Australia simply couldn’t drop Marsh after that, but their attempts to crowbar in both Marsh and their golden boy Green (despite form and fitness not being in Green’s favour) failed, as having both all-rounders in the mix badly upset the balance of the team. However, the promise of Green’s talent resulted in the selectors reshuffling the deck to fit him in.

Following David Warner’s retirement, Steve Smith moved to open the batting, and Green moved to bat four—his native role for Western Australia. Three matches later, he made a career-best international total of 174* on a green Wellington pitch, rescuing Australia from 89-4. Finally, it seemed as though things had clicked for Green. He was averaging 53.6 at number four in the order, and his Shield form was only getting stronger. Australia’s attempts to build around him and accommodate him seemed to be working too.

Then injury struck again. Green suffered his fifth lower-back stress fracture, and was forced into major corrective surgery to try and eliminate the problem permanently. Green missed the entirety of the 24/25 season, including a landmark home series against India.

His replacement was Tasmania’s Beau Webster. Webster and Green are similar in several ways. Both are two metres tall, both are all-rounders, but the manner in which they have been treated by Cricket Australia is remarkably different. On the one hand, Green, the golden boy, has been handed second chance after second chance, with Australia changing and shuffling the order to fit him into the side, despite performances not warranting such faith. Webster, on the other hand, has had to scrap for minimal opportunities, and has racked up just eight Test caps, despite being 32 years old.

Similar to Marsh in the 2023 Ashes, when his chance came, Webster seized it with both hands.

Beau Webster in 24/25:

• Runs: 150
• Batting average: 50.00
• Wickets: 3
• Bowling average: 24.00

These are far better numbers than Green has ever posted (albeit across fewer Test matches). However, with the system change, there now was room for Green and an extra all-rounder in the side. He enjoyed a brief, but wildly successful, period with Gloucestershire, scoring three centuries in five games as he geared up for a return to Test cricket. Without the pressure of being an all-rounder and bowling too, Australia were hoping Green would perform better. With a World Test Championship final looming, could Australia’s brightest young talent finally live up to the expectation?

Green then returned for the WTC final against South Africa. He batted at three and made scores of 0 and 4 as Australia lost. Next came the 2025 tour of the West Indies. Still fragile following his back surgery, Green didn’t bowl a single ball all tour, in either the T20Is or the Tests. Webster instead filled the all-rounder position, whilst Green batted three.

Now in the side simply as a batsman, Green was expected to supply only runs. He could only muster 184 though, at an underwhelming average of 30, including a lone half-century in Grenada. Considering it was his first series back after surgery, it wasn’t too bad of a performance. Australia then enjoyed a four-month break, in which Green rebuilt his fitness and started to bowl again. Furthermore, in 2025, he struck his maiden ODI hundred, and averaged 78 with a strike rate north of 130. As a home Ashes series inched closer, everything seemed set for Cameron Green to make a glorious return to form. Not as a batter, or the next Ricky Ponting, but instead in the role he had seemed destined to play. Batting in the middle order, and bowling too—the next Jacques Kallis.

Green’s 39 Test wickets, and 83 First Class poles suggest he has more to offer than simply his batting ability.

What Lies Ahead for Cameron Green?

What followed was disappointing. In a home Ashes series, Green failed to deliver consistent, convincing performances with either bat or ball. Australia won the series at a canter, sealing a dominant 4-1 victory in Sydney over the visitors. However, Green was once again underwhelming. He averaged in the 20s, and took just four wickets, whilst going at 4.57 an over.

Webster returned for just the final Test, playing alongside Green, and struck an excellent fifty under pressure. The Tasmanian’s case is growing harder to ignore, and Green is not exactly forcing the selectors to accommodate him further. Especially given the nature of his dismissals—rash attacking shots exemplified by his bizarre dismissal at the Gabba.

Green’s talent is obvious, and I have no doubt that his ability will eventually shine through, making him into a world class allrounder in Test cricket for Australia. But I don’t think that that time is now. He has been given 37 Tests to prove his worth, and has failed to put up consistent numbers. Instead, for now I believe Australia should turn to Beau Webster and give him an extended run in the side, while allowing Green to build form, and confidence playing Shield cricket, where he has always dominated.

Especially given Australia’s packed schedule (they will play a minimum of 15 Tests between now and March), chances will arise for Green. Perhaps in the Border-Gavaskar series, given his success in the subcontinent. For now however, Cameron Green seems out of excuses, and should only return when Cricket Australia are confident that he can put up strong performances consistently.

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed.