'That's not realistic': Australia coach reveals massive 'bowling' setback for visitors ahead of first Test against India

Team India will face Australia in a four-match Test series next month which will prove key to World Test Championship qualification scenario. However, ahead of the blockbuster series, Australia might already have received a setback as their star all-rounder Cameron Green might not be available to bowl in the opening Test.

Green is still recovering from a broken finger that he endured during the Boxing Day Test against South Africa. He had flown to Sydney for surgery after the incident and was ruled out of the Big Bash League as well.

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“It probably (would have been) more likely if Cameron Green was fit and available fully with the bowling side of things,” coach Andrew McDonald told reporters, as quoted by The West Australian.

“That’s not realistic, so I think it’s probably further away than it would have been had Cameron been fit.

“His bowling will be his greatest challenge. He’s got to consult with the surgeon again tomorrow and that’s about the four-week mark – where he should be given a tick of approval that that bone has healed.

“After that it should be just building him up and see how he goes each session. Building confidence is the main thing.”

McDonald also provided an update on Mitchell Starc's fitness; Starc had also sustained an injury during the Tests against South Africa.

“Mitch had a bowl today, he was still strapped on that finger in a splint so he is still a little while off and nothing has changed in terms of where he’s at,” McDonald told ABC Radio.

“He’ll be available for the second Test match, assuming that things go well, but we can’t accelerate that with the nature of the injury.

“To mitigate any of that risk he still has to stay in the splint but for those who were down at training today, it didn’t look too dissimilar to what he produces, but just with the splint on. He obviously can’t bowl with that in a game.”