A timely message from Indian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah helped ease Australian all-rounder Cameron Green’s nerves ahead of his back surgery in October last year — a gesture Green described as “really special.”Green had suffered a stress fracture in 2024 and opted for surgery, even though natural healing was an option. Speaking ahead of the World Test Championship (WTC) Final against South Africa this week, Green recalled the reassurance he received from Bumrah on the eve of his operation.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“Jasprit Bumrah reached out the night before I was getting surgery. He was in the middle of a Test match in India,” Green told reporters. “Just a few things like that are really special and make you feel a lot better about it. 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.”
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Bumrah, who underwent a similar procedure and missed the 2022 T20 World Cup, made a roaring comeback, leading India to the 2023 ODI World Cup final and later lifting the T20 World Cup. His 32-wicket haul in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy earlier this year, which earned him Player of the Series, further inspired Green.Green, 26, is set to feature in the WTC Final as a specialist batter after notching three centuries in five county games. Detailing his back injury on cricket.com.au’s Unplayable Podcast, Green said, “The main reason for (the operation) was to shave down some bone… it forced my spine not to be able to bend as well.”
With Steve Smith occupying No. 4, Green may bat at No. 3 — a role he’s comfortable with. “Absolutely no issues batting at three when you’ve done it your whole life,” he added.
