Australia v India 3rd ODI: David Warner in race against time to be fit for first Test against India

While David Warner faces a race against time to be fit for the first Test against India, his wife joked the couple’s ‘reuniting’ after time apart was not the cause of the injury.

***DAILY TELEGRAPH EXCLUSIVE CHECK WITH DESK BEFORE USE*** , , David Warner takes his girls to school after being injured in a cricket game .Picture John Grainger

David Warner was on the move on Tuesday but Aussie coach Justin Langer admits he’s “not holding his breath” that his superstar will be fit for the first Test.

In a positive sign for Australia, Warner is walking without the assistance of crutches and appears to have avoided surgery, and now one of the game’s most meticulous trainers begins the race to rehabilitate a groin injury with just over two weeks to go until the Adelaide opener on December 17.

Marnus Labuschagne and Matthew Wade are the contenders to replace him at the top of the order for Wednesday’s final ODI, while Langer confirmed it will be Will Pucovski to debut against India to start the Test series if Warner fails to come up.

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David Warner with his daughters.

Sean Abbott looks set to play his first ODI since 2014 as a replacement for the rested Pat Cummins for game three in Canberra.

Young gun all-rounder Cameron Green is in the squad and was reportedly on standby for Steve Smith when he had an episode of vertigo before Sunday’s second match, so could be a chance for an international debut particularly if Labuschagne was to earn the nod to open.

Wife Candice Warner joked on breakfast radio on Tuesday that friends had been ribbing her over whether the couple’s “reuniting” after four months apart might have contributed to her husband’s groin strain.

“It wasn’t me, it wasn’t me … sorry Australia!” Candice Warner said on Triple M.

Aside from bumps to his fingers, the super fit Warner has barely been injured throughout his entire career and the nature of groin stains makes it difficult for Australian medical staff to accurately predict at what point in the blockbuster Test series he might return.

“He’s strained his abductor in his groins and they tell me it’s a very painful injury,” Langer told SEN’s Sportsday WA.

Sean Abbott is set for his first ODI in six years.

“It looked like he got shot by a gun. He was in incredible pain in the change rooms after.

“We’ve just arrived in Canberra, so we won’t see him again for probably five or six days until we get back to Sydney.

“I’m not holding my breath that he’ll be ready for the first Test match, but with that said he’s the sort of elite professional who will be doing literally everything possible to be ready for it.

“We’ll see what happens, but hcae’s going to be a loss that’s for sure.”

Australia’s medical chiefs have travelled to Canberra for the white ball matches on Wednesday and Friday but will return to Sydney on Saturday morning to begin working with Warner on his recovery.

Langer said the plus side was he no longer had to stress over the vexing conundrum of Pucovski v Burns.

Cameron Green could join Glenn Maxwell, Alex Carey in the Aussie team on Wednesday.

“It takes a bit of pressure off, doesn’t it?” Langer said.

“No wonder I’m a bit more relaxed. We’ve won a few games and I don’t have to worry about who we’re going to pick for the Test side.

“I’ve said it so many times, the hardest part of the job is selecting the teams.”

Labuschagne has already declared he would “love” to have a crack at opening the batting in an ODI alongside captain Aaron Finch – but Wade also has extensive top order experience and could come into the side after being the spare batsman for the opening two sides.

Finch is looking for as little disruption as possible to his all-conquering team, and for that reason keeper Alex Carey looks unlikely to move up from his current place at No.6.

“That’s what you have to weigh up, whether you do go for the pure like-for-like with Wadey or reshuffle it,” said Finch.

“The middle order has been playing really well as a group.”