The starter is hitting well, but his general mobility remains a problem after the groin injury.
David Warner is still struggling to regain his old dynamism after a groin injury, which means he is a dubious starter for Test 3 of the series against India, even as Australia feels his absence increasingly intensely at the top. batting order.
Australia coach Justin Langer revealed on Sunday that Warner was now hitting comfortably in the nets as part of the hosts’ preparation for the next match, but was still affected in terms of career mobility by the aftermath of the torn groin suffered. during the second ODI against India at the SCG in November.
The urgency has been added to Warner’s need for recovery by the fact that Australia failed to clinch in the first inning in either of the first two Trials, meaning they are relying heavily on their boastful bowling attack for keep the home team ahead of India.
“There is no one more professional and he’s doing his best,” Langer told Ricky Ponting during a lunchtime interview on Seven. “We saw him hit the day before the game, he’s hitting again this afternoon at MCG, so in terms of hitting, he’s flying, he’s just trying to … he’s still got some groin issues and we know how dynamic he is. . is.
“He is running between the grounds, his movements all the time, so he is getting closer and we are hopeful that it will turn out well, he certainly has hope that it will turn out well, but time will tell. We still have a few days to go. next match test “.
It was Warner’s union with Joe Burns last season that gave the Australians several key platforms against Pakistan and New Zealand, and in his absence they have yet to record a century-long position against India, moving closer in an 86-run union. between Marnus Labuschagne and Travis. Head to Boxing Day.
But even that position was a source of frustration for Langer, underscoring how when two hitters find themselves in challenging conditions, it is critical for them to move to associations worth 150 or more.
“A bit like the first test, just our partnerships,” Langer said when asked what had let him down. “We are not going to organize the games as well as we could, if you look at our associations in the first test match in the first innings and then yesterday, we have to improve a lot on that.
“We had a partnership of 50 in the first round and yesterday we had a partnership of 86 races, and also, when you have a partnership of 86 races, you have to turn that to 150, because you’re setting up and setting up the game. So we couldn’t do that and for me, associations as much as anything else. “
Daniel Brettig is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo. @danbrettig
.
