As Australia prepares to face South Africa in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final at Lord’s starting June 11, all-rounder Cameron Green has revealed a deeply personal source of motivation during his road to recovery from a serious back injury: a message from India’s pace ace Jasprit Bumrah.
Green, who suffered stress fractures in his back in late 2024, underwent surgery in October with the hope of returning in time for the WTC final. Amidst the uncertainty and physical toll, a heartfelt message from Bumrah lifted his spirits and instilled renewed confidence.
“That is really special. And makes you feel a lot better about it,” Green told Cricbuzz, speaking about Bumrah’s gesture. “I didn’t play with him in Mumbai but that was the connection through there. Spent a bit of time with him there. To get someone like him to reach out and then to watch him during the summer, to see how good he is obviously post-surgery, filled me with a lot of confidence.”
Although the two shared only brief time together during the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) season with the Mumbai Indians, the Indian fast bowler’s support clearly made a lasting impact. Bumrah himself had undergone a similar procedure earlier in his career, making his message all the more meaningful.
Green, 26, began his rehabilitation in February, just after Australia secured their second straight WTC final berth by beating India 3-1 in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Despite regaining fitness, Green is unlikely to bowl in the final due to workload management and will feature as a specialist batter.
He made a tough call to prioritize his long-term health and national duty by skipping the lucrative IPL 2025 season, instead turning out for Gloucestershire in England’s County Championship Division Two. The decision has paid dividends, with Green showing stellar form as he smashed three centuries and an unbeaten half-century in just nine innings.
Reflecting on his transformation, Green noted the silver lining in his limited bowling responsibilities. “The silver lining to having four back injuries is I’ve got four chances only to be a batter. I felt like my game’s always been good around those periods… You’re so much more relaxed. Half a game to worry about, which is obviously nice,” he said.
As the WTC final looms, Australia will look to Green’s calm presence and strong batting form to bolster their chances against a determined South African side. And for Green, a simple message from a respected rival may have made all the difference on the long path back to cricket’s biggest stage.
