Cameron Green’s back injury has created a vacancy in Australia’s starting XI for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, but revelations that Steve Smith won’t open the batting against India has helped narrow down the candidates.

On Monday morning, Cricket Australia confirmed that Green will undergo surgery after sustaining a back stress fracture in the United Kingdom last month, ruling him out for around six months.

Hours later, national selector George Bailey revealed that Smith won’t face the new ball against India this summer, meaning Green’s replacement would almost certainly be a specialist opener.

Bailey also shut down suggestions Green needed to be replaced by another all-rounder, emphasising that additional bowling options were a luxury rather than a necessity.

Therefore, all eyes will be on the Sheffield Shield and the Australia A series against India A over the next four weeks, with at least five cricketers in the running to partner Usman Khawaja at the top of the order this summer.

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CAMERON BANCROFT

Based on numbers alone, West Australian opener Cameron Bancroft would be the leading candidate to replace Green in the Test side this summer.

The 31-year-old, who played ten Tests between 2017 and 2019, has been the most consistent opener in the Sheffield Shield over the past 24 months, compiling 1728 runs at 54.00 during the previous two summers.

Bancroft, named in the Australia A squad this week, has a wealth of experience against the new ball and would be well-equipped to handle Indian quicks Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Siraj. He’s also a gun fielder, perhaps one of the best in the country.

The right-hander recorded a pair during last week’s Sheffield Shield match against Queensland in Perth, but Bailey reassured him the twin ducks wouldn’t harm his chances of a Test recall.

“I spoke to Cam after that game. I jokingly said to him if he wasn’t in such good nick, he might have played and missed those,” Bailey told reporters on Monday.

“There’s plenty of batsmen that have managed to get a feather on an early Michael Neser ball, so no harm done.

“He’s certainly got credits in the bank. His consistency over a number of years has been phenomenal.

“A one-off game like that wasn’t going to have any impact.”

MARCUS HARRIS

Marcus Harris was the unfortunate player forced to make way for Usman Khawaja after the Queenslander cracked twin hundreds during the 2022 New Year’s Test at the SCG.

The 32-year-old hasn’t played Test cricket in nearly three years, but he was Australia’s reserve batter during the 2022/23 home summer and 2023 Ashes tour of England, also receiving an unexpected national contract last season.

The Victorian got his 2024/25 summer off to a flying start, cracking 143 and 52 during last week’s Sheffield Shield match against Tasmania at Junction Oval. He also enjoyed a successful stint with Leicestershire in the County Championship over the winter, compiling 388 runs at 43.11.

However, Harris has already been given plenty of opportunities to prove his worth at Test level, scoring 607 runs at 25.29 with no hundreds in 14 matches. Sceptics would argue he’s had his chance and it’s time to give someone else a go.

SAM KONSTAS

Now wouldn’t this be something.

New South Wales batting prodigy Sam Konstas, who celebrated his 19th birthday earlier this month, parachuted himself into the Test equation by slapping twin hundreds during the Blues’ Sheffield Shield season opener against South Australia in Sydney.

The teenager, who only has five first-class matches under his belt, has been showered with praise since the breakout performance, earning a call-up for the Australia A series.

Although Bailey confirmed Konstas was “in the mix” for the India series, he stressed the national selectors wouldn’t pick him purely on potential.

“If we make a selection, it’s because we think that player’s ready to play,” Bailey said.

“ (Konstas) has had a good start. He’s five games into his first-class career, and he looks really organised and composed at the crease.

“He’s in the mix, as are plenty of others. I certainly don’t want to single him out.

“I don’t think there’s any need at this stage to put any undue pressure or expectation on Sam.

“There’s no priority to get younger players in. It’s just about trying to get the best players we can.”

MATTHEW RENSHAW

Eight months ago, Matthew Renshaw was the Australian Test side’s reserve batter, travelling across the Tasman Sea for the New Zealand tour. How quickly things can change.

The Queenslander was parachuted into the Test side nearly a decade ago at the age of 20, scoring a century during the 2017 New Year’s match at the SCG. However, he has only played a handful of international matches since, accumulating 645 runs at 29.31.

Renshaw has endured a terrible run of form in the Sheffield Shield since the start of the year, notching scores of 2, 2, 8, 14, 6 and 15. Having been left out of the Australia A squad, it appears unlikely that he’ll be strongly considered for next month’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy opener.

“We still really like Matt’s ability to play,” Bailey said.

“I guess as far as Australia A selection goes, part of the process around that is trying to identify opportunities that may come around in the short term … but also making sure that we do keep an eye on providing opportunities for those players who may become important in different roles in the future as well.”

NIC MADDINSON

Although he’s an outside chance of earning a Test recall this summer, Nic Maddinson was name-dropped by Bailey during Monday’s press conference.

The left-hander, who played three Tests for Australia in 2016, returned to his home state of New South Wales during the off-season after a successful six-year stint at Victoria.

Maddinson ended the 2023/24 summer with a trio of centuries in the Sheffield Shield, pushing him back into the Test conversation. However, the 32-year-old was outclassed by opening partner Konstas last week, registering scores of 12 and 8 against South Australia at Cricket Central.

Having missed selection for the Australia A series, Maddinson is nowhere near the top of the list of candidates to replace Green in the Test side, but a couple of centuries in the Sheffield Shield over the coming few weeks wouldn’t hurt his chances.

SOMEONE ELSE

Although Bailey insinuated that Green’s replacement would be a specialist opener, that’s no certainty. Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh and Alex Carey could still feasibly open the batting against India to make way for an all-rounder or middle-order slugger.

“We’ve got another four weeks until that Test squad’s announced, and what exact order and who is in it and how they line up will be determined,” Bailey continued.

“Like anything, that can adjust depending on what’s available, your conditions, who you’re coming up against as well.”

If national selectors wanted another middle-order option, Peter Handscomb and Ollie Davies would be high on the list, while West Australian gloveman Josh Inglis could serve as a specialist batter.

Despite Bailey’s assurance Green doesn’t need to be replaced by another seam-bowling all-rounder, Aaron Hardie and Beau Webster would enter the conversation if the national selection panel had a change of heart.

And spare a thought for the talented Michael Neser, who is desperate for a chance to add to his two Test caps.