David Warner set to play through pain for Third Test against India in Sydney

Coach Justin Langer is confident David Warner will return to open the batting for Australia at the SCG – and he’s likely to have a new partner.

David Warner will be laughing his way into the Sydney Test against India. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

David Warner is set to bulldoze his way through the pain barrier as part of Australia’s calculated gamble for the SCG Test.

The champion opener and young buck Will Pucovski shared the same net at training on Tuesday in a positive sign the pair will be Australia’s new pairing at the top of the order.

It’s rare Australia would change its opening partnership completely mid-series, but these are exceptional circumstances.

Warner is perhaps Australia’s most influential player, who can lift the tempo of a top six that has been unable to get out of first gear, while Pucovski is the prodigy who simply has to play.

Australian coach Justin Langer has revealed Warner will be shielded in the slips to protect his suspect groin from overexertion, given he is returning from serious tears inside less than six weeks.

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David Warner and Will Pucovski are put through their paces at training. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

But despite the unusual gamble to take in a player at less than 100 per cent, Langer is adamant Warner won’t lose anything in his dynamic running between the wickets and is not at risk of re-injury.

Since 2010 only Virat Kohli (27) and Steve Smith (26) have scored more hundreds than Warner’s 24 tons – and he’s done it at the top of the order.

But Sydney is when he might truly cement the tag ‘warrior’.

“I think his batting will be fine. There might be some different movements he needs to make in the field, so we’ll probably get him in the slips,” Langer said.

“I still remember clearly those brilliant catches he took at Leeds in that (Ashes) Test match a year or so ago.

“He’s going to be playing with pain, though. Not so much in the muscle, but in the tendon area.

Warner and coach Justin Langer share a smile during a net session ahead of the SCG Test. Picture: David Gray/AFP

Warner is expected to play through pain, but it isn’t tipped to hamper his running between wickets. Picture: David Gray/AFP

“We’re confident it’s not something he can re-injure, unless he does something exactly like he did in the ODI (when he first tore it back in late November).

“But he’s going to have some pain, and like a lot of cricketers you play through different levels of pain. He’s willing to take that on and hopefully it won’t hamper him too much.

“He’s a little warrior, I’ve said that since day one.”

With the series evenly poised at 1-1 and India the reigning Border-Gavaskar trophy holders, Australia can’t afford to drop another Test.

If Warner is only able to play at the SCG and not back up in Brisbane, it would be a massive blow.

Then Australia is due to tour South Africa next month, with a spot in the Test Championship final on the line.

But Langer is adamant ‘The Bull’ is not a sacrificial lamb.

“If we thought we were taking a big risk on David Warner reinjuring himself then we wouldn’t be taking the risk,” he said.

“He’s had a big rehab. As I said, he might be a little bit restricted in the field – that area might get a little bit fatigued because he hasn’t played Test cricket for a while. But we wouldn’t take that risk of him reinjuring himself.

“He’s very determined to play. He loves the competition. He loves playing Test cricket.”

Warner has not played a solitary game of red-ball cricket since the corresponding Sydney Test match last year.

Steve Smith has struggled across the first two Tests without that volume of first-class cricket behind him, but Langer is confident Warner can come out swinging.

“He’s a master of the game. He’s played a lot of cricket. His experience will help him through that,” said Langer.

Originally published as David Warner set to play through pain for Third Test against India in Sydney