Australia will be without the services of David Warner for the first Test against India on December 17 in Adelaide after he suffered a groin strain during the ODI series against India. Meanwhile, Joe Burns has been included in the day-night warm-up game set to be played in Sydney to regain form ahead of the first Test.
Warner is expected to be available for the Boxing Day Test match but his unavailability is a massive loss for Australia in the first day-night game in Adelaide. Warner is the highest run-scorer in day-night Test matches and has also recorded a triple ton the last time he batted in Adelaide in a day-night Test against Pakistan. The 335* is the highest score in day-night Test matches.
“I feel I have made great progress in a short amount of time and it’s best for me to stay here in Sydney to continue working on getting back to full fitness,” Warner said. “The injury feels a lot better, but I need to be able to satisfy in my own mind and to my team-mates that it is 100 per cent ready for Test match conditions.
“That includes running between the wickets and being agile in the field. Right now I feel I am short of being able to play at peak fitness and another 10 days will make a difference.”
Langer said he was extremely confident Warner would be ready in time for the second Test at the MCG on Boxing Day.
“If there is one guy you know will go well above and beyond that’s Dave,” Langer said. “He has done an incredible job to get to where he is today and we hope to have a fully fit David Warner at his absolute best in Melbourne.”
Meanwhile, the other back-up opener in the squad, Will Pucovski was out of the Australia A game midway after he was hit on the head by a delivery from Kartik Tyagi. In fact, it’s the ninth time in his short career that Pucovski has been concussed.