Aussies have lost 526 wickets in experience, can they afford to carry Green if he can’t bowl?

Australia all-rounder Cameron Green is making surprising progress in his recovery from a finger injury as he pushes to play in the first Test in India.

Green will almost certainly not be ready to bowl in the Border-Gavaskar series opener starting on Thursday but Australia are considering picking the 23-year-old as a batter only.

Australia’s pace stocks have already been hit hard, with Mitchell Starc (broken finger) and Josh Hazlewood (achilles) – who have taken 526 Test wickets between them – ruled out of the match in Nagpur.

Scott Boland will almost certainly come in for his first Test outside of Australia, while speedster Lance Morris could be handed a dream debut as the only other quick in the 18-man squad.

If Green is ruled out, Matt Renshaw will likely retain his place at No.6 after playing his first Test in more than four years during the New Year’s match at the SCG.

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“We haven’t put a clear line through him (Green) or put him on the team-sheet yet,” Australia coach Andrew McDonald told reporters in Bangalore.

Cameron Green of Australia celebrates with teammates. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

“He’s made some significant steps forward in the last couple of days, probably to my surprise.

“There’s still an outside chance that, everything going well, he might be on the team sheet.”

Australia opted for a training camp in Bangalore over playing a practice match leading into the eagerly-anticipated series.

Cummins’ team flew into Nagpur on Monday, with two days of training before the Test at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium.

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Nathan Lyon is the only bowler aside from Cummins certain to be in the XI. Australia could yet choose any of their back-up spinners – Ashton Agar, Mitchell Swepson or uncapped Todd Murphy – to partner Lyon.

Asked about picking two spinners, Cummins said: “I wouldn’t say it’s a given.

“I think sometimes, talking about a couple of spinners, you forget how good a lot of our fast bowlers have been in all conditions.

“We’ve got plenty of bowling options here – finger-spin, wrist-spin, left arm (pace) when Starcy comes back online.

“We’ll obviously pick the bowlers that we think can take 20 wickets. How are we going to split that up, I’m not 100 per cent sure yet.”

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