It could be a long time until the 34-year-old is fully fit again
Warner reveals long road to full recovery
David Warner's recovery from the torn groin muscle he suffered last November could take as long as another nine months, the opener revealed yesterday.
Warner suffered the injury while fielding in the second Dettol ODI Series clash against India at the SCG, ruling him out of the remainder of the white-ball games and first two Tests.
He returned for the third Test in Sydney but was clearly hampered by the injury, scoring 67 runs in four innings and admitting he was not 100 per cent fit as Australia lost the series 2-1 to the Indians.
Warner has not played in any format since January and has been excluded from NSW's Marsh Sheffield Shield and Marsh One-Day Cup squads following the KFC BBL to continue his rehabilitation.
However, Warner clarified on Tuesday he will line up for the Blues in their Marsh Cup match against South Australia on March 4.
Just to clarify a comment I made on commentary last night, that “My Groin”will need on going treatment and will have an annoying pain for at least 6-9 months. I am returning to play for NSW on the 4th March 2021 #horsesmouth— David Warner (@davidwarner31) February 23, 2021
"I am almost back to (a) full 100 per cent sprinting in a straight line," Warner said on Fox Cricket on Monday.
"This next week is getting back to fielding, picking up, throwing. (That was) very difficult in the last couple of weeks, even trying to throw.
"Now it's all about lateral (movement), running between wickets, building that up.
"It's just the tendon that has got that slight tear in it now.
"It's going to aggravate me for the next six to nine months but I am sure the medicos will help me out there."
Following his domestic duties for NSW, Warner will fly to India to captain Sunrisers Hyderabad in the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League, which is set to begin in April.
Should they fail to qualify for the World Test Championship final, Australia will not have any Test commitments until an expected match against Afghanistan at the start of the next summer.
But there is a white-ball tour to the Caribbean slated for June, according to the ICC Future Tours Programme, and the T20 World Cup in India set for October-November.
Warner's NSW and IPL stints should shed more light on how restricted he is with the injury, but the left-hander said handling the setback may be a mental, rather than a physical, challenge.
"I have spoken to a few people that have actually had that type of injury and they have just said it's a niggle," he said.
"You have just got to teach your brain to not worry about the pain and that it's not going to happen again.
"It's just getting back that confidence to sidestep and run as hard as I can and dive around again.
"Once I get that, I will be right to go. It's just not 100 per cent there yet."