“Can’t be picked anymore”: Why Green needs to be dropped following Sydney Test

Gerard Whateley thinks the Australian selectors should have made the call to drop Cameron Green for the Fifth Ashes Test after his dismal performances so far.

Having been re-selected following his back injury during the World Test Championship Final, the all-rounder has not been able to get into form, raising plenty of questions around his spot in the team.

In the eight matches he has batted since his return, Green has averaged 21.42, which includes only one half-century.

While in the seven innings he has bowled during this Ashes series (prior to the Sydney Test), he averages 52.66, which is the worst amongst the Australian bowlers.

And on Day 1, Green’s bowling performance has only seen calls for his dropping grow louder after being hit for 57 runs in the space of eight overs.

This would allow Joe Root and Harry Brook to form an unbeaten 154-run stand with England now in a commanding position.

During the day’s play, this would lead Whateley to believe that the selectors should not played him in this Test altogether.  

"You figure the decision (to keep Green) was made to save him,” Whateley said on SEN Cricket.

"I think selection integrity probably demanded that you switch Webster and Green for the lack of what Green has done this summer."

"So, while some might frame it as they chose Webster instead of (Todd) Murphy, but I think they chose to retain Green rather than bite the bullet and have Murphy play."

Bharat Sundaresan was also in agreement with Whateley’s view, noting his surprise that he had remained in the team despite his contributions with both bat and ball.

“It’s about time he had a strong summer with the bat in particular and then contributes with the ball,” Sundaresan added.

“The fact that he has played all five Tests as the premier all-rounder, and he’s barely contributed with the bat.

“And his bowling has been worse than what he has done with the bat.

“It’s been one of the most disappointing returns from an all-rounder that we’ve seen in a long time in Australia.”

And now, according to Whateley, this should leave the selectors no other choice but to drop him for their next series.

“It would have been the right decision to drop Green, and it would have been a big decision,” Whateley continued.

“But now we have to live through that phase, we can’t have him being picked anymore on the ‘We think he is going to become this player’.

“The only way to maintain his place with any credibility now…is on performance.”

Green will look to rebound with the ball in hand as Australia takes to the field tomorrow for Day 2 of the Fifth Test at the SCG.

The first ball is scheduled to be bowled at 10am AEDT, with SEN having live coverage of every ball bowled on its radio network and on the SEN app.