Green dream: Handy Cam part of perfect Test set-up

While the inexorable rise of Cameron Green has been somewhat overshadowed this past fortnight by the stunning form of Will Pucovski, Australia head coach Justin Langer has insisted that "in a perfect world" a player of Green's ilk fits snugly into his Test middle order.

After first being selected for WA as a fast-bowling allrounder listed at No.8, Green has excelled as an out-and-out batsman since back injuries prevented him from utilising what many believe to be his strong suit.

Since the beginning of last summer, he has piled on 1,062 Shield runs at 66.38 with four centuries, while his imposing height (approx 198cm) and performances to date with the ball (30 wickets at 22.53, with two five-wicket hauls) signal considerable upside.

Australians have rarely envied much about their English rivals but when it comes to world-class allrounders, the northern hemisphere country has reigned supreme for the past 40 years via Sir Ian Botham, Andrew Flintoff and presently Ben Stokes.

So it is little surprise that Green's arrival has been met with such excitement in this country, and though he has only recently returned to the bowling crease – getting through a combined 24 overs in his past two Shield matches – Langer too appeared to be enthused by the youngster's potential.

"(Green is) in contention (for the Test side) because of his batting," the head coach and member of the national selection panel explained. "He's a 21-year-old who, like Will (Pucovski), I think he's scored four hundreds in his last six or seven Shield games – that's awesome going from a 21-year-old player.

"In a perfect world you've got a batting allrounder who can score hundreds (in your Test side) … you think about Ben Stokes currently, Shane Watson in the past, Jacques Kallis.

"Ultimately if you want to be in the Australian cricket team as a batting allrounder you've got to be able to score hundreds … that's number one priority, and bowling is a bonus."

For his part, a quietly-spoken Green – who seemed somewhat overwhelmed by the media attention he has garnered – fronted a Zoom press conference today with the good news that he had come through unscathed from his recent trips to the bowling crease.

"The rhythm actually felt surprisingly OK because I haven't bowled for a while, but the back feels really good," he said.

"I think it's just going to be a slow process back to full fitness but bowling-wise, intensity-wise I'm bowling at 100 per cent.

"We'll slowly work up the workloads, but my back and my bowling feels really good at the moment.

"I had 12 overs each game for the last two games just to see how I'd pull up, so over the next few days we'll sit down and have a chat, reassess what we'll do further forward, but the back feels really good, so it's positive signs."

Given the fast-bowling pathway is littered with broken bodies, Langer was also quick to preach caution – and patience – with Green.

"It's exciting to see him bowling but we also know, going back in history – whether it's Pat Cummins or James Pattinson, Mitchell Johnson – we have to be patient with our young fast bowlers," he said.

"I think he's six-foot-seven, we know he's got enormous talent with his bowling, but he's had two stress fractures in the past.

"So the way we manage Cameron Green, as Western Australia is doing at the moment, it's going to be a combined effort from us … we have to show the due respect that's required and we have to be patient.

"We've learned that over and again … and we'll continue that with Cameron."

India Tour of Australia 2020-21

Australia Test squad: Tim Paine (c), Sean Abbott, Joe Burns, Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Will Pucovski, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade, David Warner

Australia ODI & T20 squad: Aaron Finch (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey , Pat Cummins (vc), Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Moises Henriques, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Daniel Sams, Kane Richardson, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa

India Test squad: Virat Kohli (c) (first Test only), Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Prithvi Shaw, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Hanuma Vihari, Shubman Gill, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Rishabh Pant (wk), Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Navdeep Saini, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Siraj

India ODI squad: Virat Kohli (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Hardik Pandya, Mayank Agarwal, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Navdeep Saini, Shardul Thakur.

India T20I squad: Virat Kohli (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Mayank Agarwal, KL Rahul (wicketkeeper), Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Hardik Pandya, Sanju Samson (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Navdeep Saini, Deepak Chahar, T Natarajan

Dettol ODI Series v India

First ODI: November 27, SCG, 2.40pm AEDT

Second ODI: November 29, SCG, 2.40pm AEDT

Third ODI: December 2, Manuka Oval, 2.40pm AEDT

Dettol T20 INTL Series v India

First T20: December 4, Manuka Oval, 7.10pm AEDT

Second T20: December 6, SCG, 7.10pm AEDT

Third T20: December 8, SCG, 7.10pm AEDT

Tour matches

Australia A v India A, December 6-8, Drummoyne Oval

Australia A v Indians, December 11-13, SCG (day-night)

Vodafone Test Series v India

First Test: December 17-21, Adelaide Oval, 3pm AEDT (day-night)

Second Test: December 26-30, MCG, 10.30am AEDT

Third Test: January 7-11, SCG, 10.30am AEDT

Fourth Test: January 15-19, Gabba, 11am AEDT

*The matches and travel remain subject to any relevant government restrictions or requirements.