Cameron Green reveals the extent of his gruesome injury as he struggled for 40 overs with a broken finger

Cameron Green has revealed the horrific extent of the finger injury he sustained in the Boxing Day Test against South Africa.

The star all-rounder retired injured late on day 9 after being hit in the glove by a 144kph delivery from South African speedman Anrich Nortje.

Green, who became the most expensive Australian ever in IPL history after being picked up by the Mumbai Indians for $3.15m last week, was forced off the field with blood from his finger.

Cameron Green retired from the Boxing Day Test injured after breaking his right index finger

Cricket Australia then announced that he had broken his finger and the 23-year-old has now revealed the full extent of the injury. Green shared an image of the scan on Instagram, showing a significant fracture on his right index finger.

Despite looking immediately uncomfortable after being hit by Nortje, Green tried to hide the pain as best he could.

“They try not to show the pain right away,” he told cricket.com.au.

“I marked my guard again and took a few steps, and I thought, ‘I think my finger is out of place here.’

Green shared a picture of his scan on Instagram to reveal the extent of the injury

“I looked at it – it looked a bit backwards, that’s the only way I can explain it. There was already a big cut in there, then I got the bad news after the scan.”

After retiring injured at the end of day two, Green competed again on day three after dismissing Nathan Lyon. Despite his broken finger, he hit 157 more balls in 40 overs and didn’t finish on 51 as Australia declared 8-575 at the MCG.

However, Green noted that he had to drastically change his approach after rejoining the action.

“I think that’s what happens when you get injured – the game simplifies in a way,” he explained.

After retiring injured on day two, Green batted 40 overs on day three and didn’t make 51

Green and Mitchell Starc (right) were unbeaten at 51 and 10 respectively, as Australia declared 8-575

“You can only play a few shots and you have to defend everything else.

“It’s a funny thing when you’re in that mindset, you’re really clear about what you need to do.”

The all-rounder will miss the rest of the Big Bash League and the third Test against South Africa, which begins in Sydney on January 3.

Starc also suffered a nasty finger injury at the Boxing Day Test and faces a race against time to be ready for the Test series in India in February

Green is joined on the sidelines by Mitchell Starc, who suffered a tendon damage after dislocating the tip of his middle finger on his left hand – his bowling hand – while trying to make a catch during the second session on day one of boxing Day Test at MCG.

Ashton Agar and Matt Renshaw were called up as New Year’s Day substitutes at the SCG, ending their five-year and four-year bans from Test cricket respectively.

Green and Starc, meanwhile, face a race against the clock to be fit in time for Australia’s four series of tests in India, which begin in Nagpur on February 9.