Test series rocked by Warner injury

Will Pucovski was in a battle with Joe Burns for the chance to open in the Test series but David Warner’s injury has changed the whole series.

David Warner is assisted by teammate Glenn Maxwell, right, and a trainer at the Sydney Cricket Ground

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 limited-overs series without injury, but the very real prospect of him missing the first Test at the least has unsettled Australia’s ahead of the Border Gavaskar trophy.

Cricket Australia did not give any indication of when Warner will return on Monday, saying only that he would not be playing in the white-ball games.

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He is, however, understood to be in serious doubt for the start of the Test series — and beyond. A source familiar with the injury told The Australian the player 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 runs 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 as both will play the first game 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 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.

The opener’s ability to exploit a weakness in those opening overs of the series had India on the back foot thereafter.

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 are as dynamic as the veteran.

D’Arcy Short, who was in the ODI and T20 squad on standby, comes in as a like-for-like replacement for Warner — at least in the three T20 matches.

The Australians 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 in the last ODI.

Short would play the T20s and Green could then be released along with Pucovski and Burns for the Australia A game against India A.

With an unbeatable 2-0 series lead Australia has taken the opportunity to rest Pat Cummins and the presence of Short suggests that Warner was probably due a break as well.

“Pat and Davie are critical to our plans for the Test series,” Australian coach Justin Langer said.

“Davie will work through his injury rehab and in Pat’s case it is important all of our players are managed well to keep them mentally and physically fit throughout what is a challenging summer.

“The priority for both is being fully prepared for one of the biggest and most important home Test series we have played in recent years, especially with World Test Championship points up for grabs.”

Warner and Cummins, who has just returned from the IPL, had not been home since the team left for the one day series against England in July.

Presumably Steve Smith will be offered a similar opportunity to rest but having scored two of his best ever ODI centuries in the first match he may be reluctant stop batting.

Warner’s absence squares the ledger to a degree as India is missing Rohit Sharma and captain Virat Kohli will return to India after the first Test.

The visitors won their first ever series against Australia at home in 2018-19 but Warner and Smith were both suspended at the time.

The expectation of seeing both sides at full strength in the return bout has been dashed by Kohli’s impending fatherhood, Rohit’s absence and now Warner’s injury.