The injury means he won’t be able to bowl again in Melbourne and will also miss his BBL stint with Perth Scorchers in a bid to be fit for the Test tour of India in early February.
“I actually didn’t think he was going to walk out the race today,” Carey said. “But to see him put on a brave face, bat beautifully and allow me at the other end to bat as well…allowed us to put on a really good partnership.”
Starc was clocked about 140kph in his opening spell in South Africa’s second innings before the rain came although the injury was causing him discomfort and he was regularly wiping away blood.
If Australia don’t pick another allrounder to replace Green, they will have to consider whether to play six batters and five bowlers, or seven batters and just four bowlers. Marcus Harris, a specialist opener, is the only spare batter currently with the squad. A middle-order player such as Peter Handscomb could also come into the mix.