By India Today Sports Desk: Australia heaved a sigh of relief as all-rounder Cameron Green escaped a serious injury during the IPL 2023 Qualifier 2 between Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians. Green was forced to retire hurt after being struck on the arm by a fiery delivery from Hardik Pandya, but he later returned to the crease after receiving treatment.
The incident occurred in the second over of the Mumbai Indians’ chase when Pandya’s delivery, clocked at a blistering 146kph, hit Green just below his left elbow. The physio initially attended to him on the field before he was compelled to leave the ground.
However, Green made a quick comeback in the seventh over with his forearm taped up and showed no signs of discomfort as he smashed two sixes in a brisk innings of 30. Unfortunately, he was dismissed by Josh Little in the 12th over, impacting MI’s chase in a crucial moment. Despite Suryakumar Yadav’s stellar performance, Mumbai Indians fell short in their pursuit of 233, ending their IPL campaign.
Green’s return to the crease came as a positive sign for Australia, as the young all-rounder’s presence in the Test side has proven vital. He was sorely missed during the final Test against South Africa last year and the first two matches against India due to a finger injury.
Green’s ability to adapt quickly has impressed coach Andrew McDonald, who emphasised the challenge of transitioning between formats as Green prepares to join the Test squad in the UK for the World Test Championship.
“The challenge for Cam now is as he starts to become a three-format player is how he focuses [on] that, shifts between formats, and he’s going to have another challenge in front of him going deep into the IPL finals to get ready for the World Test Championship match,” McDonald told SEN Radio. “So that will be a challenge for him, but he’s a fast learner and every hurdle he’s got over so far.”
With the World Test Championship final against India looming, Australia are expected to announce their 15-player squad on Sunday. However, there are concerns regarding the fitness of Josh Hazlewood, while Mitchell Marsh returned early from the IPL due to a minor adductor injury.
Source: www.indiatoday.in
