Kerry O’Keeffe believes Cameron Green isn’t in Australia’s best T20 squad, pouring cold water over the young gun’s prospects of clinching a World Cup spot.
The 23-year-old — who isn’t in Australia’s 15-player World Cup squad — has made a late play to force a re-jig after he plundered runs as an opener in India last month.
But since returning to Australia, Green’s charge has cooled with scores of 14 and one against the West Indies, followed by another score of one in England’s eight-run win in Perth on Saturday.
Speaking on the Back Page Live, O’Keeffe said Green remains an outstanding T20 prospect, and World Cup reserve, but is not yet among Australia’s best 20-over group.
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“We’re not stronger with him in the team,” O’Keeffe said. “I think at full strength he’s probably not in the team because he hasn’t really commanded T20s yet.
“He’s not ready, but they just want him raring to go if there is an injury. He’ll be the first reserve, without question, but he’s not in the starting 15.”
Australia can change its squad up until October 15 before needing approval from the World Cup’s technical committee.
Australia has used Green as an opener, sliding captain Aaron Finch down the order in the build-up to the World Cup.
That is despite the fact that Finch is set to return to the top of the order from Wednesday’s second T20 against England in Canberra, and into the World Cup.
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“This has been very curious,” O’Keeffe said of Australia’s use of Green and Finch.
Speaking of Green, he added: “They see him as a player of the future.
“He has no tempo with the bat in T20 yet, he hasn’t played enough. He hasn’t got the right lengths with the ball in T20.
“He will in time. He’s been fast tracked, the team love him, they know there’s so much upside — but he’s not in that 15 (player squad).
“Are they preparing him for the prospect of an injury? Yes. But if there’s no injuries, Cameron Green doesn’t play.”
Finch said after the first T20 that Australia’s experiment with Green is now over, with only three matches left before the nation’s opening match against New Zealand.
Nonetheless, he told Fox Cricket on Wednesday that there is still scope for experimentation elsewhere, saying “We’re going to keep trying things.”
He added: “I’m going to go back to the top for the next game, which was always the plan. We‘d get to the first two (T20s against West Indies) and then this game, then I’d go back to the top as preparation for the World Cup.
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“It was just about giving ‘Greeny’ an opportunity at the top and to keep trying things. After this little burst, especially (with) guys coming off a lot of injuries as well … you have to be prepared.
“So just trying to get as many games into Greeny in case he has to be called into the squad.”
Meanwhile, Australia must win on Wednesday night at Manuka Oval to avoid a straight-sets series defeat to England.
Australia is expected to field a far stronger line-up in the second T20, with Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Adam Zampa and Glenn Maxwell all available for selection again.
That opens up the possibility of mass changes with Green, Daniel Sams, Nathan Ellis, Kane Richardson and Mitchell Swepson all in the firing line.
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TEAMS
Australia XI (predicted): David Warner, Aaron Finch (c), Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Tim David, Matthew Wade (wk), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood
England XI (predicted): Jos Buttler (c, wk), Alex Hales, Dawid Malan, Ben Stokes, Harry Brook, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, Chris Jordan, David Willey, Adil Rashid
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