Green remains in mix for Australia’s squad for T20 WC: George Bailey

Hobart: Australia chief selector George Bailey said fast-bowling all-rounder Cameron Green remains in the mix for the selection of Australia's squad for the Men’s T20 World Cup in June, adding that the upcoming IPL 2024 season will play a role in deciding the final squad.

Green was left out of the two T20I series against West Indies and New Zealand to prioritise playing red-ball cricket, which includes a Sheffield Shield outing for Western Australia against Tasmania scheduled for next week.

Green, who began his Australia T20I career with stunning performances as a top-order batter, will play in IPL 2024 starting in late March, where he will represent the Royal Challengers Bangalore following a trade initiated by his previous team Mumbai Indians.

"Very firmly, we know he's going to go to the IPL and getting a big batch of T20 cricket in. It's a constant conversation with multi-format players, working out the priority at any given time, and making sure they get what they need but he's certainly one whose name I think, as we are finalising that 15 for the World Cup, will be firmly in the mix," said Bailey to reporters.

Green, who found himself out of the red-ball playing eleven due to Mitch Marsh’s return, made scores of 14, 8 and 42 against West Indies in the Tests at Adelaide and Brisbane. He made those runs as a number four batter, a role which he’s got recently after Steve Smith moved to open the batting in Tests post David Warner’s retirement.

Bailey asked for patience in Green maturing to play all formats for Australia. "We think he's super talented. There's a skill set there that's unbelievable across all three formats. (We're) really confident that just continuing to expose him he'll get better and better and learn more about his game. But like any player I don't think it's going to be a straight line – there'll be fluctuations throughout, as there always is. His last two years have been a whirlwind, I imagine, at different times. He's travelled with the team basically non-stop."

"Like all players – particularly young players – he's had fluctuations of high performance and then different times where it's been a challenge, and constantly learning through that, both on the field from a skill set perspective and how he actually performs, but also off the field and how you deal with that and how you deal with life on the road and being on tour, and switching between formats."

"It's a challenge that all those players do go through, but I guess when you are younger and you get exposed to that, it can be tough. But I'm sure if you ask Cam he wouldn't have it any other way," said Bailey.

--IANS

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