Australia v India first Test: Matthew Wade drops hint about David Warner injury concerns

Continual concern over David Warner’s groin injury means Matthew Wade might not drop back down the order for the Boxing Day Test.

ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA – DECEMBER 15: Matthew Wade of Australia looks on during an Australian nets session at Adelaide Oval on December 15, 2020 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)

The Matthew Wade opening experiment looks highly likely to continue to the Boxing Day Test amid growing concerns over the fitness of David Warner and Will Pucovski.

An unfazed Wade had a week to get his head around opening the batting for Australia, and didn’t have a single sleepless night.

Australia’s ‘Mr Fix-It’ said starting a young family and venturing into the real world to pick up a trade a couple of years ago was a major turning point in his career and has made him appreciate playing for Australia and to take the attitude that any challenge is a bonus.

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Matthew Wade has dropped a big hint about the fitness of David Warner. Picture: getty

But Wade’s shock elevation up the order is not necessarily a one-off pinch-hit, and it’s likely he will be locked into the position he has never batted in for two Tests.

Warner would need everything to fall into place with the running milestones he needs to achieve in his race against the clock for the MCG, while the Australian camp has given strong indications they will not be rushing Pucovski back from his ninth concussion.

Wade is ready and believes his experience batting for Tasmania at the bowler-friendly Bellrieve Oval in Hobart can help him become a fast-learner.

“It was thrown up after the last Twenty20 and I’ve been mentally preparing for it since then,” said Wade on Fox Cricket.

“I’ve just been getting my head around it to be honest. Yes, it’s a big difference but I don’t need to worry about getting nervous waiting to come out to bat in the middle-order. Just get out there and get stuck into it.

David Warner (C) injured his groin playing for Australia last month. Picture: AFP

“I’m not going to turn into an opener overnight, I know that, so I’m just going to continue to bat the way I bat and hopefully that’s good enough on its day. Who knows, one or two Tests? I’m not 100 per cent sure but I’ll give it a good crack.”

Warner said on Radio 2GB that he hadn’t yet given up on Boxing Day.

“The most important thing for me is getting those spikes on and seeing if I can pivot in the nets on the ground … I’m doing everything I can to get ready for Boxing Day,” said Warner.

“First of all … I’ve got to get up to about 25km an hour running. If I can get there, I’ve probably (got) half a chance.”

Australian captain Tim Paine made it clear in his exclusive News Corp column that his side had no interest in rushing Pucovski back from his latest head knock, with a duty of care to prioritise his long-term future.

There are also concerns about the short-term future of rising star Will Pucovski. Picture: Getty

Coach Justin Langer has admitted he’s “worried” about Pucovski, and the 22-year-old has been allowed time to return home and be with family.

“I know everybody is disappointed for Will Pucovski but the important thing for him and all of us to remember is that he has got so much time. He is 22, he is a world class player and there is no rush,” wrote Paine.

“Look at Michael Hussey, look at Chris Rogers, look at my experience. I got a taste when I was young but I was over 30 when I came back into the side.

“We want him playing, the public wants to see him because he is a special talent but we have to give him time and make sure he is right. This is a kid who can play 100 Test matches and to make sure he has a long career we have to play the long game.”

HOW MR FIX-IT NAILED RISE TO AUSSIE STATESMAN

By Ben Horne

The man who two years ago started a carpentry apprenticeship thinking his career was over, is set to don the blue overalls for Australia.

Matthew Wade’s incredible transformation from cricketing cast-off to the square-jawed warrior Australia may call on as their top order saviour for the first Test against India, has become one of the game’s best and most underrated comeback stories.

When Tim Paine was recalled from the wilderness for the 2017-18 Ashes summer, selectors sacked Wade from all formats and essentially marked his cards never to play again.

Matthew Wade started a carpentry apprenticeship.

Wade saw the writing on the wall, rolled his sleeves up and got back on the tools working for his best mate’s building company.

The man Justin Langer dubbed “Mr Fix-It” and Tim Paine hailed as “tough as nails”, literally spent six months hammering them in.

Deep down the competitive fire continued to rage, but Wade’s venture into the real world – so unusual for a modern-day cricketer – has been the perspective-inducing circuit breaker behind his remarkable return as a statesman of the dressing room.

Now in the space of 10 days, Wade has captained Australia in a Twenty20 game, and on Thursday could be the first man through the gate to open the batting in a Test match for his country.

“He still had to train for Tassie, but he’d rock up to work on the site nice and early and bring some coffees for the boys,” said best mate, and former boss, Ben Langford.

A dose in the real world got Matthew Wade back on track.

“It was good. I think he enjoyed the normality of going to work every day with his mates and having a bit of fun and just being a bloke.

“He had to think about life after cricket. At that stage in his career things were a bit up in the air and not knowing where things were heading.

“It was a good opportunity for him to jump into it and put the nail bag on and have a crack at something different.

“Mate, he’s just determined. When people knock him back or give him no for an answer it makes him work even harder. It may sound silly but I think he might actually enjoy being knocked back because he likes to show people what he can actually do and put people in their place a little bit.”

When Wade was dropped after the 2017 tour of Bangladesh, as well as concerns over his wicket-keeping, there was a knock on him that his demeanour on tour could be too downbeat in a team which needed a lift.

Matthew Wade has become an important leader in the Aussie group.

Even when he started to mount a serious case for a recall, scoring bulk runs in domestic cricket, selectors dismissed him and told him he needed to bat higher up the order.

Aside from the incredible achievement of a keeper bashing down the door to return to international cricket as a specialist batsman, perhaps the greatest feather in Wade’s cap is his reincarnation as a true leader.

“Matthew Wade has almost become Mr Fix-it. He’s so well regarded,” said the man who named him stand-in T20 captain, coach Langer.

“Whoever would have thought he’d come from where he was to where he is now in all three forms of the game.

“He’s so well respected. He’s just very tough mentally and physically and has a great attitude.

Wade brings some excellent limited overs form into the Test series.

“He’s an unbelievable team man.

“He’s a very, very important part of our batting line-up and our team in general actually because of his leadership.”

Paine has the ultimate respect for his boyhood neighbour from the other side of Lauderdale in Hobart.

“We saw against New Zealand last year with the short-ball stuff, he’s willing to put his body on the line for his team,” said Paine.

“We know he’s as tough as nails and he’ll do a good job no matter where he bats.”

Originally published as Australia v India first Test: Matthew Wade drops hint about David Warner injury concerns