Green 'progressing well' but still uncertain for second Test

Gqeberha — Australia’s coaching staff and medical team face a tactical and fitness puzzle heading into the second Test against South Africa, with key all-rounder Cameron Green making steady progress from an abdominal injury but still facing a tight timeline to prove his fitness. Green, who sustained the soft-tissue injury during the final ODI late last month, has yet to resume batting in the nets. However, he was seen completing running drills on the outfield during lunch on the final day of Australia's victory in Durban, keeping alive hopes that he could feature later in the series. Head coach Andrew McDonald previously indicated that even if Green is cleared to play purely as a specialist batter, he is unlikely to bowl at all during this tour. "He's progressing well," McDonald said following Australia's victory in Durban. "He's got a few things to go through in the next three, four days. On the back of a soft-tissue injury, things can accelerate quite quickly." Inglis Nears Return; Middle-Order Puzzle Deepens Meanwhile, backup wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis has returned to net sessions after rejoining the squad following a fractured finger suffered during the first ODI. Inglis will ramp up his training intensity during practice sessions in Gqeberha, using a protective splint to gauge his comfort levels against live bowling. Sam Harper remains with the squad as an additional wicketkeeping cover. Should Green be cleared for selection—either for Gqeberha or the final Test in Cape Town—Australia’s management will face a difficult selection headache. Integrating Green, who was Australia's top run-scorer during August's series against Bangladesh, would require a middle-order reshuffle, potentially placing all-rounder Beau Webster under pressure to retain his spot. Green's absence in Durban triggered a major restructuring of Australia's batting lineup. Nic Maddinson was brought in to open alongside Travis Head, while Matt Renshaw was moved down to No. 5—a strategic call heavily backed by captain Pat Cummins. The gamble paid immediate dividends as Renshaw delivered a star performance, scoring 272 runs across both innings and chipping in with two crucial wickets. Flexible Mindset on Batting Positions McDonald reiterated that Australia’s selection panel is taking a dynamic approach to the batting order rather than sticking to rigid player roles. "The external view is often that you need specific orders at certain times—that this person's an opener, this person's a middle-order player," McDonald said. "We're more open-minded than that. We'll assess what we need heading into the next Test on a different surface." Following their dominant win in the series opener, Australia are unlikely to make changes to a winning side unless Green proves fit or fatigue forces a rotation among the fast bowlers. With a short four-day turnaround between Tests, the workloads of Australia’s primary pace trio—Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Pat Cummins—were managed effectively in Durban, supported by Nathan Lyon’s control and sharp fielding. Backup seamers Scott Boland and Michael Neser remain ready in reserve should the Sports Science and Sports Medicine team recommend rest for any of the main attack.