Cummins backs Green as 'long-term' No. 3 amid Australia's batting reset

Pat Cummins has indicated that Cameron Green will be given an extended run to cement the No. 3 role in Test cricket as Australia look to bed down a batting order ahead of the Ashes later in the year.

Green has been encouraged not to look too deeply at his lean returns on his comeback to the side in the World Test Championship final against South Africa, where he was dismissed twice by Kagiso Rabada across five balls for just four runs. He had come into that match on the back of three centuries for Gloucestershire.

There was an opening for Green to drop back down to No. 4 for the first Test against West Indies in Barbados due to Steven Smith's injury - the position where he made 174 not out against New Zealand last year - but Josh Inglis will take that role as part of a fresh-looking top four that includes the recalled Sam Konstas.

"I always like to not have too many moving parts," Cummins said. "We see that [Green at No. 3] as a long-term option. I think going into last week he's hitting the ball really well, he's moving really well. He had a Test match where it obviously didn't go to plan. Think he only faced three or four balls, so the message is not to look into that too much. We're really happy with where his game's placed and I dare say we'll get a decent run of No. 3."

Barring injury, therefore, it leaves Marnus Labuschagne likely needing substantial runs at the start of the Sheffield Shield season to push for a recall to face England.

"I think him at his best is a well and truly an international standard Test batter," Cummins said. "If there's an opening we could see him fighting his way back into the Test team at some point. Obviously the focus now is giving a couple of other guys a go. He's had a pretty good run and obviously didn't make the most of it as well as he would like, so [we are] offering that opportunity to the next couple of guys."

There remains hope that Smith will be available for the second Test in Grenada, which starts on July 3, as he continues his recovery from the compound dislocation of his right little finger he suffered at Lord's. He is due to return from New York midway through the Barbados Test. "He's got a few return-to-play kind of protocols he's got to tick off," Cummins said. "I know the medical team have got a bit of a program for him."

Only three of the top six played in the Gabba Test early last year which West Indies famously won (Usman Khawaja, Cameron Green and Travis Head), but Shamar Joseph's name has never been far from the build-up to this Test.

When new captain Roston Chase, who himself wasn't part of that Test, was asked whether there would be any lingering memories of that day in the Australia line-up, he responded with a smile and a hint of a chuckle.

"I hope there are some scars," he said. "I mean, if they're still thinking about that going out there tomorrow, that would be very good for us. I think that that would be part of the job done for us. So, yeah, I hope they're still hurting."

Cummins, who had spoken before Chase, said, "A couple of the West Indian guys, particularly Shamar, had a day out. I'm sure the batters [have] been talking about how to manage him and counter that."