Labuschagne replaces Green in ODI squad after bowling setback

Cameron Green's return to bowling has hit a speed bump with the star allrounder to miss Australia's ODI series against India with side soreness.

Green's injury has been diagnosed as "low grade" and it's understood his absence from the three-match series is precautionary, with the 26-year-old hoping to play in Western Australia's next Sheffield Shield match on October 28 as previously planned.

Australia's hierarchy is understandably taking a cautious approach with Green given the significance of what lies ahead this summer, with the right-hander's return to playing as a fully-fledged allrounder crucial to the side's Ashes plans.

Marnus Labuschagne, fresh off his fourth century of the domestic season for Queensland on day two of their ongoing Shield clash with South Australia, has earned an ODI lifeline as Green's replacement.

Labuschagne, who was initially omitted from the squad to face India following scores of one and one against South Africa in August, will travel to Perth after the Bulls' Shield match in Adelaide.

A Cricket Australia spokesperson said Green first experienced discomfort in his side at training this week in the lead-up to the first ODI against India on Sunday.

"Green will complete a short period of rehabilitation and is tracking to return to play in round three of the Sheffield Shield to continue his preparation for the Ashes," CA said in a statement this morning.

Though minor, Green's setback is nonetheless concerning with the series opener against England just five weeks away.

Captain Pat Cummins is under a cloud for at least the first Test in Perth beginning November 21 as he continues his recovery from lumbar back stress, while fringe pacemen Sean Abbott (hand) and Brendan Doggett (hamstring) are also injured.

Jhye Richardson is also yet to resume playing after shoulder surgery but bowled a lengthy spell off his full run at the ODI squad's first training session in Perth on Thursday.

Green, meanwhile, bowled his first overs in a competitive match since his back operation a year ago during WA's round Shield one loss to NSW last week, taking a wicket with his second ball in his 1-13 from four overs.

It's been a gradual build-up for Green since undergoing spinal surgery that involved doctors fusing his L4 vertebrae. His current setback is not related to the operation he underwent last October.

Green began building up his bowling workloads in London in June ahead of the World Test Championship final while he played as a specialist batter during the loss to South Africa and subsequent West Indies tour, as well as in white-ball series against South Africa in August.

Green skipped the T20 tour of New Zealand earlier this month to play in WA's first Shield game of the season and had already been left out of the five-match T20 series against India that follows the three ODIs to fit in more four-day cricket ahead of the Ashes.

It's the third change Australia have been forced into for the series opener against India – Josh Philippe has replaced wicketkeeper Josh Inglis who continues to recover from a calf strain, while Matthew Kuhnemann is set to play instead of Adam Zampa, who will miss the match for family reasons. 

Labuschagne has made a strong case to slot straight into the XI despite not being part of the initial squad, with two of his four centuries for Queensland coming in the one-day format – 130 against Victoria and 105 against Tasmania last Thursday.

Green's absence could open the door for Matthew Renshaw to debut at No.4, a position where he has averaged 50 striking at better than a run-a-ball over the past four One-Day Cup seasons but one which the West Australian occupied in two of Australia's past three ODIs.

Labuschagne also appears in the box seat to earn a Test recall for next month's Ashes opener against England in Perth following his 159 at Adelaide Oval yesterday.

Renshaw, who put on a 134-run partnership with Labuschagne in the opening Shield game as both hit centuries, said his state teammate was back to "peak Marnus".

"He's just so on, peak Marnus," Renshaw told cricket.com.au's The Unplayable Podcast in Perth in an episode released on Friday.

"It's really good to see, and it's good that the work he's done in the off-season is working out for him now … he's (only) missed out once (this season)."

Fewer than 3,500 tickets remain for the ODI series opener in Perth and less than 5,000 for the second ODI at Adelaide Oval next Thursday, while public ticket allocations for the third ODI at the SCG are already sold out.

Australia v India ODIs 2025

Australia squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Owen, Josh Philippe, Matthew Renshaw, Matthew Short, Mitchell Starc. Game two onwards: Adam Zampa, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis

India squad: Shubman Gill (c), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Dhruv Jurel, Yashasvi Jaiswal

October 19: First ODI v India, Perth Stadium, Perth, 2:30pm AEDT

October 23: Second ODI v India, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, 2:30pm AEDT

October 25: Third ODI v India, SCG, Sydney, 2:30pm AEDT

All matches live via Kayo Sports and Foxtel