Warner targets SCG return despite lingering concerns

David Warner says it is ‘highly doubtful’ he will be 100 per cent fit in time for the third Vodafone Test at the SCG, and proving he will nonetheless be able do his job in the field looms as the final box he must tick.

Warner has been out of action since the Dettol ODI Series and he was sorely missed at the top of the order when India levelled the series 1-1 with victory in the Boxing Day Test.

The 34-year-old has rejoined the Australian squad, who will train in Melbourne on Saturday and Sunday before flying to Sydney on Monday.

Those sessions will give Warner a better idea of whether he will be fit enough to take the field at the SCG.

"I haven’t ran the last couple of days," Warner told reporters on Saturday morning.

"Today and tomorrow will give me a better indication of where I am.

"Am I going to be 100 per cent? Highly doubtful. But I’m doing everything I can to get on that park and play, even if that means I’m not 100 per cent."

Warner, who batted in the MCG nets throughout the Boxing Day Test, admitted the lingering impact of the injury could restrict his range of shots, but said his ability to quickly run between wickets was a higher priority.

"At the moment there’s a few shots (that are restricted) where you’re lunging, but for me it’s about speed between wickets, it doesn’t matter what shots I can and can’t play," he said.

"It’s about the drop and run, helping the guy at the other end get off strike, they’re the things I work on and they’re the things I like to be 100 per cent fit for.

"In this case I’m most likely not going to be but I’m going to have to work out myself in advance how I’m going to manage that."

Ultimately, the deciding factor in whether or not Warner does return will likely be his ability to perform his role at slip.

"It’s about being smart on this occasion," he said.

"I know I can manage the running between the wickets, the shot making I have.

"If I feel like I can do my duties, whether it's standing in the slips cordon, taking catches to my right and left and not be a hindrance there, that’s where it’s going to determine whether I do play or not."

Even if Warner is deemed fit enough to play, Australia will still have a decision to make at the top of the order after dropping Joe Burns from the Test squad.

Matthew Wade accompanied Burns in the first two matches, while Will Pucovksi has also rejoined the Australian group and will bat over the weekend before the team flies to Sydney on Monday, having not faced a ball in a match since being struck on the helmet on December 8.

"It’s not my question to answer in that sense of who I want, at the end of the day it’s who the selectors feel comfortable with, if they want two changes, one change, I’m not too sure," Warner said when asked if he had a preference in his new opening partner.

"The way Wadey applied his pressure the other day was great, he put his hand up to bat at the top of the order which was a brave move as well because he hasn’t done that before.

"Whether or not Will’s there or Wadey’s there, I know that whoever is up the other end, we know each other’s game enough to apply pressure (to India’s bowlers)."

Vodafone Test Series v India 2020-21

Australia Test squad: Tim Paine (c), Sean Abbott, Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Moises Henriques, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Will Pucovski, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade, David Warner

India Test squad: Virat Kohli (c) (first Test only), Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Prithvi Shaw, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Hanuma Vihari, Shubman Gill, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Rishabh Pant (wk), Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Navdeep Saini, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Siraj

First Test: Australia won by eight wickets

Second Test: India won by eight wickets

Third Test: January 7-11, SCG, 10.30am AEDT

Fourth Test: January 15-19, Gabba, 11am AEDT