David Warner
Australia head coach Justin Langer is optimistic over David Warner's return ahead of the third Test of the series, scheduled to start from January 7 at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).
Warner had limped off the field during the second ODI between Australia and India in Sydney. After sustaining a groin injury, the left-handed opener was sidelined from the first two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. In Warner's absence, Australia have gone with Joe Burns and Matthew Wade at the top.
Giving an update over Warner's recovery, Langer said that the southpaw batted in the nets but he's having a bit of trouble running at full speed. "We're very hopeful," Langer said when asked if Warner will be fit for the third Test. He batted very well yesterday in the nets, he's moving well (and) he's as enthusiastic as ever.
"He batted very well yesterday in the nets, he's moving well (and) he's as enthusiastic as ever. He's got so much energy and passion for the game and he'll be doing everything possible to get out onto the ground," Langer told reporters.
"He's having a bit of trouble running at full speed. When he gets back and feels confident with it, of course he'll come back into our team. We'll just monitor him, and fingers crossed he'll be back.
"We know how dynamic he is, there's no one more dynamic in the game with his running between the wickets and with the way he fields. He wants to make sure he's 100 per cent fit for that because he gets great energy personally and as a group, we get great energy out of that," Langer further said.
Australia went with an unchanged Playing XI for the second Test in Melbourne. After electing to bat first in the Boxing Day clash, the hosts were restricted to a partly total of 195 by Jasprit Bumrah and Ravichandran Ashwin. While Bumrah registered a four-fer, Ashwin picked up three as India dominated the play on the first day. Mohammed Siraj also plucked two wickets to mark his Test debut.
At stumps, India were 36/1 with Shubman Gill (28) and Pujara (7) in the middle. After suffering an early blow in the form of Mayank Agarwal, the Gill-Pujara duo steadied India's innings to shrug memories of the team's horrendous show in Adelaide Test. At the end of Day 1, the touring party trails by 159 runs
