Australia all-rounder Cameron Green has confirmed he is available for selection for the third and final Test against South Africa, with the series locked at 1-1, after making a faster-than-expected recovery from an abdominal muscle tear. The match is set to begin on Tuesday at Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town.

The Injury and the Comeback

Green, 27, sustained the abdominal tear during the ODI series between the two sides and had been sidelined since. He returned to the nets ahead of the decider, and by his own admission, the speed of his recovery caught him off guard.

'Pretty surprised with how quickly it's actually healed, or how functional I feel only a few weeks after. It was really bizarre,' Green said, according to the ICC. He also pointed to a likely connection between taking a blow during the ODI series and the subsequent muscle tear. 'I think there's definitely a pretty clear link between getting hit and then doing the injury. I think it's too much of a coincidence for them not to be related,' he added.

Green described the mechanics of the injury in detail: 'Basically I got hit where you don't want to get hit and then two balls later, I went to play a shot just behind the wicket — obviously had to lengthen my muscle, and I think my muscle was pretty keen to not move at that stage after I got hit.' He noted the rarity of the injury type, saying the medical staff had little precedent to work from but that everything is 'all good to go for the last game.'

Series Context: Australia and South Africa Level at 1-1

Australia won the opening Test by 214 runs in Durban, but South Africa bounced back emphatically in the second match in Gqeberha, winning by an innings and 31 runs to level the three-match series. The Newlands decider will determine which side walks away with the series.

Notably, Green was part of the Australian side that lost to South Africa in last year's World Test Championship (WTC) final at Lord's, where he batted at number three. He acknowledged that experience as a valuable — if painful — education.

'(Batting at three in the WTC final) was a tough experience for sure. Pretty unique that you're playing South Africa with the Dukes ball in England. I think there's a lot of good learnings, a lot of tough learnings,' he said. 'Obviously they're such a quality bowling line-up that you've got to be on your game at all times to succeed against them, regardless of where you bat.'

Green's Preferred Batting Position

Since his Test debut in 2020, Green has batted across positions ranging from number three to number eight. He identified the middle order — specifically numbers four and five — as his preferred slot, a conviction backed by a productive home series against Bangladesh, where he finished as the leading run-getter across two Tests, scoring a century and a fifty batting at number five.

'I've had a lot of experience up and down the order. I think I'm well suited at four and five. Obviously we've had some pretty incredible cricketers in those positions. So I'm very happy to move up and down the order depending on what the team wants,' he said.

What's Next

With Green back in contention, Australia's selection dilemma for the Newlands Test adds an intriguing layer to a series already perfectly poised. South Africa's pace attack, which has been among the most potent in world cricket, will present a stern challenge, particularly for any top-order batter coming back from injury. The decider at Newlands promises to be a defining Test for both sides.