Warner blow opens the
THE anticipation of seeing Will Pucovski make his Test debut in Adelaide has been tempered by the fact he now seems set to do it at the cost of David Warner, who injured his groin in Australia’s win over India at the SCG.
Warner may well have missed the rest of the limitedovers series without injury, but the very real prospect of him missing the first Test at the least has unsettled Australia ahead of the Border Gavaskar Trophy.
Cricket Australia did not give any indication yesterday of when Warner would return, saying only that he would not be playing in the white- ball games.
He is, however, understood to be in serious doubt for the start of the Test series and beyond. A source familiar with the injury said Warner was no chance of being fit in time for Adelaide.
Of greatest interest in the lead- up to the first match had been the dilemma around who would partner Warner at the top of the order in the five- day game. Incumbent Joe Burns was under enormous pressure from Pucovski. The first had not been able to buy a run and the second kicked off his Sheffield Shield season with two double- hundreds.
A call was to be made after a “bat- off” in Sydney in an Australia A game against India, but if sources are correct that is now a redundant concept because both will play in the first Test if Warner isn’t fit.
Groin strains are problematic for batsmen when running between wickets and there are few who use the quick single or stolen pair to the same damaging effect as Warner. He is also one of the fastest and keenest fielders when chasing anything that is boundary bound.
Warner’s role in all three forms is critical to the side’s approach, but in the longest format he is vital. Experienced openers are hard to find, especially ones with his ability to shift the direction of a game in a session.
In 2014, Warner pounced on India’s wayward opening bowlers, smashing three boundaries in the first over he faced and reaching the first of two centuries for the match not that far into the first day.
His ability to exploit a weakness in those opening overs of the series had India on the back foot thereafter.
EXPERIENCED OPENERS ARE HARD TO FIND — ESPECIALLY ONES WITH [ WARNER’S] ABILITY TO SHIFT THE DIRECTION OF A GAME IN A SESSION
The following year he posted 253 at almost a run a ball in the first innings of the Perth Test against New Zealand.
Few batsmen have Warner’s ability to turn a game quickly. Burns is a very good batsman and Pucovski is shaping as something special, but neither is as dynamic as the veteran.
D’Arcy Short, who was in the ODI and T20 squads on standby, comes in as a likefor- like replacement for Warner – at least in the three T20 matches.
Australia had Cameron Green on standby for Smith, who was suffering from vertigo before Sunday’s game, and could bring him into the ODI team for the third and final match in Canberra in the middle order and slip Alex Carey up to open.