Green ruled out of ODI series against India with side soreness, Labuschagne called up
Allrounder Cameron Green suffered low grade side soreness and will miss the entire series in order to rehabilitate before WA's next Shield match on October 28
Alex Malcolm
17-Oct-2025 • 14 hrs ago
Cameron Green has suffered low grade side soreness • Getty Images
Australia have copped another major injury blow with Cameron Green ruled out of the ODI series against India with low grade side soreness, which could have significant implications for the upcoming Ashes.
The 26-year-old Green was ruled out of the series on Friday with Marnus Labuschagne called into the squad to replace him. Labuschagne will fly from Adelaide at the completion of the Sheffield Shield match on Saturday night to join Australia's squad in Perth ahead of the first ODI on Sunday.
Green had only just returned to competitive bowling following back surgery last year, and missed the T20I tour of New Zealand to play in the opening Shield round for Western Australia against New South Wales in Perth last week. He was due to bowl eight overs in the match but only bowled four, and took a wicket - he was not allowed to bowl on consecutive days by Cricket Australia's medical staff when Western Australia were unable to bat long enough in their first innings to allow for a full day's rest between four-over spells.
He was unlikely to bowl in the first two ODIs against India but was continuing to build his loads with a view to bowling more overs in round three of the Shield, which starts on October 28. He was going to be rested from the third and final ODI in Sydney and was also going to miss the T20I series that follows in order to play in the third and fourth rounds of the Shield to prepare for the Ashes.
Green pulled up sore after bowling at training this week and will undergo a short rehabilitation period with the hope that he can still play and bowl in Western Australia's third Shield game against South Australia at the WACA starting in 11 days' time.
The injury is a concern for Australia, who had been banking on Green being fully fit to bowl without any restrictions in the Ashes. Australia are already sweating on the fitness of Test skipper Pat Cummins, who said earlier this week he was "less likely than likely" to play in the first Test against England starting November 21 in Perth.
Australia's other Test allrounder Beau Webster is also carrying an injury concern at the moment, having missed the opening two Shield matches for Tasmania after rolling his ankle at training two weeks ago. But it is understood that CA has been ultra cautious with him and that he will be fit for Tasmania's next Shield game on October 28.
Marnus Labuschagne has been in prolific early-season form•Getty Images
"I'm sure he's going alright, he's in good hands," Travis Head said. "We'll work through it, like anything else with guys who have some injuries. We've got Josh [Inglis] in the same position as well.
"I don't think it will have any impact on the Ashes. It's more disappointing that he's not here at the moment for the next three games, so he'll work through that.I I don't think it's too serious, so probably more precautionary leading into the next five weeks."
Green's injury has shorn Australia's ODI team of yet another first-choice player. He made 118 not out off 55 balls in Australia's last ODI, against South Africa in August.
World Cup-winning skipper Cummins is unavailable for the entire India series, while wicketkeeper Josh Inglis will miss at least the first two ODIs as he recovers from a calf strain.
Adam Zampa is missing the Perth ODI to remain at home in northern New South Wales with his pregnant wife. Alex Carey, who is normally in Australia's first-choice ODI XI as a specialist bat and is also the back-up wicketkeeper to Inglis, is also missing the first ODI in Perth to prioritise playing the Shield match between South Australia and Queensland in Adelaide as part of his Ashes preparation.
Labuschagne has been recalled to the ODI squad after peeling off 159, his fourth century in five domestic innings. Labuschagne was dropped from the ODI squad ahead of the India series after lean returns over the last 12 months. But he has been the form player in the One-Day Cup for Queensland since posting scores of 130 off 118 against Victoria and 105 off 91 against Tasmania.
Alex Malcolm is an associate editor at ESPNcricinfo