Star WA all-rounder Cam Green has elected to have radical back surgery in a move that will see him miss half a year of cricket.

Green had been mulling over whether or not to go under the knife for around a week since scans revealed the extend of stress fractures in his back.

The 25-year-old had been sent home early from Australia’s white-ball tour of the United Kingdom last month with the injury.

Cricket Australia believes the surgery — which he will have this week — could prolong his career as a bowler.

He is expected to miss around six months, which means he will miss a five-Test Border Gavaskar Trophy series against India, a two-match red-ball tour of Sri Lanka and will leave him touch and go for next year’s Indian Premier League.

It has been revealed Green has a “unique defect” in his back near the site of his stress fractures that is believed to be contributing to the injury.

“Australian all-rounder Cameron Green will undergo surgery to address a stress fracture of the lumbar spine this week,” a Cricket Australia spokesman said.

“The extent of the fracture was revealed in follow-up scans and extensive assessment after he reported lower back pain on the recent tour of the UK.

“Whilst spine stress fractures are not unusual in pace bowlers, Cam has a unique defect in an adjacent area to the fracture that is believed to be contributing to the injury.”

Green will have the same surgery as fellow quicks James Pattinson, Jason Behrendorff and Ben Dwarshius, which involves using screws to bind part of the spine together.

Those players have been sent to New Zealand-based surgeons Grahame Inglis and Rowan Schouten.

Green’s absence will leave a whole in Australia’s batting lineup for this summer’s blockbuster Test series.

It appears likely Steve Smith will slide back into the No.4 position after a brief stint at the top of the order, leaving selectors to either draft in a specialist opening batter, or an all-rounder.

Fears around the bowling loads of Australia’s big three quicks, given Mitch Marsh has been limited so far this season, could be a key factor in that decision.

Speaking at the WACA Ground last week, Test teammate Marnus Labuschagne said he believed Green would come back and return an even better player.

“You always feel bad for people when they get injured, especially when it’s someone you’re close with and someone that’s a big part of our Test team,” he said.

“But you never know, there is always a silver lining with everything that happens and we’re not sure what that is yet, but maybe with a bit of time of, a bit of rest, he can come back even better than the Cam Green we have seen.

“Obviously I hope it’s a speedy recovery.”