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Burns focused on India, not Ashes

Queenslander keeping out exciting distractions

Test rookie Joe Burns says he's trying hard to not be distracted by the possibility that he will be an Ashes tourist later this year.

The right-hander could only manage scores of 13 and 9 on debut in Melbourne last week, but will get another chance to impress selectors in the fourth Commonwealth Bank Test against India, starting on Tuesday.

The SCG Test will be Australia's last until the first of two Tests against West Indies on June 5, which comes just weeks before their tour of the UK from late June to mid-September.

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Australia's squad for the Ashes would likely feature seven or eight batsmen, and Burns would take a giant leap towards being one of them if he can post a big score against India this week.

The 25-year-old's versatility would also work in his favour when selectors ponder places for a long overseas tour; he's spent the past two seasons with the MyFoot Dr Queensland Bulls as an opener having batted in the middle order earlier in his career.

Burns maintains the prospect of an Ashes tour isn't on his mind this week, saying his sole focus is helping to extend India's winless run on Australian soil to nine matches.

"It's very exciting, the tours that are coming up for Australia," Burns said.

"But like I said, you can't get distracted by external things in cricket.

"You just concentrate on your next training session, your next game and make that your most important thing.

"That's one thing I've learned over the years. You can't get too far ahead of yourself.

"I just want to be contributing for my country in this game and helping the boys to a 3-0 win."

Burns's debut innings, as brief as it was, was one of the highlights of the opening day of the Boxing Day Test, with the 70,000-strong Melbourne crowd welcoming the Queenslander to the MCG as if he was one of their own.

Having been handed his Baggy Green cap by Victorian favourite and former Test captain Bill Lawry, Burns received a standing ovation when he walked to the crease early in the final session. 

He received another rapturous round of applause when he got off the mark with a three through cover and then another when he lofted Ravichandran Ashwin down the ground for four.

It was a reception that Burns says he will always cherish, even if he didn't at the time.

"It was very special," he said.

"It was fantastic how the Australian people sort of got behind me, everyone at the MCG that day.

"It's probably something I looked back on replay and appreciated a bit more.

"When I was walking out to bat I was so focused on just trying to get into the game, and the game situation, that you don't really take note of what's going on.

"To watch the replay was really good.

"I saw it on Twitter. It came through on my news feed, so I just pushed play and watched it from there."

Surprisingly for a batsman who plays half of his matches on a fast-bowling haven at the Gabba, Burns was twice caught behind in Melbourne playing horizontal bat shots to the faster bowlers. 

Rather than agonise over his mistakes, Burns has quickly moved on and surmised that his dismissals simply provided a reminder of the challenges faced at the highest level compared to domestic cricket.

Not that he was overawed by his first Test experience, thanks in large part to the presence of his former state coach Darren Lehmann.

"I felt very comfortable in both innings right up until the point I got out," he said.

"It's a good lesson just to give myself more time and really get myself in before going for a more expansive game.

"That's probably the biggest difference coming from Shield cricket ... in Test match cricket you don't really get away with that.

"It is a little bit surreal, but it does feel like any other game.

"It's a very familiar set-up with Boof as coach. It does feel very familiar.

"That's how I've got to approach it.

"I just have to put everything else to one side, watch the ball that's coming down and react accordingly."