Andrew McDonald backs Cameron Green against spin ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy

Andrew McDonald says he has no concerns about Cameron Green against spin in India, days after Simon Harmer picked him off in Cape Town

Australia's head coach has backed Cameron Green to cope with the turning pitches of a five-Test tour of India, rejecting the idea that one short passage against Simon Harmer at Newlands reveals a flaw in his method.

Green faced 13 balls from Harmer in Australia's fourth innings in Cape Town. He edged twice, was dropped once, scored two runs and was then dismissed, as Australia were bowled out for 111 chasing 288.

South Africa won by 176 runs to take the series 2-1 and replace Australia at the top of the ICC Test rankings. Australia's next Test tour takes them to India for five matches from January.

Thirteen balls that framed the question

Harmer finished with 6-16 from 21.1 overs, the off-spinner claiming the last six wickets to fall and closing out match figures of 10-120.

Green was one of them. The passage was short enough to be an accident of a day-five pitch and long enough to be read as something more, given what waits in January.

Pat Cummins faced 30 consecutive deliveries from Harmer at the other end before South Africa changed the bowler's ends.

Kagiso Rabada had struck early with 3-39, and the match was finished before tea.

McDonald sees no problem to solve

Asked whether the dismissal pointed to a weakness before India, McDonald was unmoved. "He's a good player of spin. He's got good reach. He's able to sweep," the coach said of Green.

He put the Newlands passage down to circumstance rather than technique, saying the match situation had narrowed Green's options. "This scenario shifted him into a draw mentality," McDonald said.

The coach also conceded the obvious, that a batter can be a good player of spin and still have a poor hour against one. "He wasn't able to get into a rhythm against Harmer," he said.

What Green has already done in Asia

The record gives McDonald something to point at. Green's maiden Test century came at Ahmedabad in 2023, on Australia's last tour of India.

Before that, in 2022, he made 77 at Galle on a pitch that turned from the first session, an innings his coach has rated among the best of his career.

Neither came easily, and neither was made against a bowler in the mood Harmer found in Cape Town. Both were made in Asia, which is the point McDonald is making.

Cummins hints at harder choices

Australia's captain was less forgiving about the collapse itself. "There was a bit of rough there, but perhaps we overplayed the spin, we could have backed our defence a little bit longer," Cummins said.

He described the dismissals as "a few really poor decisions" and said the surface did not excuse them. "I know it's a day-five wicket, but I don't think it was drastic," he said.

Cummins then left the door open on selection. "Maybe that's a change of style, maybe it's change of personnel in some instances," he said, before adding that "South Africa were better than us in those moments."

Five Tests from Nagpur to Ahmedabad

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy runs to five Tests, opening at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur from 21 January and moving to Chennai, Guwahati, Ranchi and Ahmedabad before finishing on 3 March.

The series closes at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the ground where Green made that century three years ago.

Green's place in the order may also have moved by then. He looks the natural No. 4 once Steve Smith retires, and McDonald said the 37-year-old remains in Australia's plans for now. "We are planning him to play against New Zealand in Perth," the coach said.

McDonald's judgement will be tested from 21 January, when Australia open the series in Nagpur.

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