New Test pair have fortnight to find openers' 'chemistry'

As Australia considers fielding their 14th Test opening combination of the past five years, Joe Burns has provided new insights into why his partnership with David Warner has proved the most productive of all over that period.

With Warner expected to be sidelined for at least the opening match of the four-Test Vodafone Series against India with a groin injury, Burns seems likely to tackle the new-ball alongside uncapped Victoria wunderkind Will Pucovski.

And while Burns believes a secret to his successful union with Warner in 13 Tests (where they average starts of almost 40 per innings) was the innate understanding of each other's games, he is confident he can establish a strong rapport with Pucovski with just a fortnight to go before the first Test.

The pair are expected to open the batting for Australia A in the upcoming three-day tour match against India A at Drummoyne Oval starting Sunday, and possibly in the day-night game against a full-strength India outfit to be played at the SCG from December 11.

While they've played alongside one another in representative teams on several occasions, Burns noted the only time they've batted together in the middle was for Australia A in last year's tour game against Sussex at Arundel where Burns scored 133 and put on 28 with Pucovski for the fifth wicket.

Image Id: 9889CCBFA88A41D28EF6F49FCBCF873E Image Caption: Warner and Burns prepare to bat in last year's Boxing Day Test // Getty

It means next week's Australia A games loom as not only an opportunity for both players to cement their claims to a Test berth, with Pucovski's Victoria opening partner Marcus Harris also in the squad and pushing to regain the Test berth he lost last year.

It also affords Burns and Pucovski a chance to establish the sort of bond the Queenslander believes is essential to succeeding at the top of the order in Test cricket.

"I think it is crucially important," he said of oft talked about 'chemistry' between the game's pre-eminent opening combinations.

"Opening batters are always batting at the same time of the game against the same opposition, so you work really closely together on what your plans are.

"It's something me and Davey did really well, being able to understand the game and control the tempo of the game, realising how your games complement each other to apply pressure to the opposition.

"I haven’t had a chance to bat too often with Will … so games like the Australia A game and the lead-up to it, it's a crucial part of our preparation as a Test squad.

"For not only me and Will, but for all the guys in the squad to jell together, make sure our plans are good and to take momentum of working together into that Test series.

"It's exciting. Will's obviously in really good form, he's earned his spot in the squad and I'm just looking forward to getting to work with him and getting stuck in."

In addition to establishing a new opening relationship, Burns must also take on the role of senior partner having played 21 Test matches in the past six years.

He will draw on his experiences alongside 84-Test veteran Warner given the pair have proved the fourth-most productive opening partnership worldwide over the past five years behind New Zealand's Tom Latham (with both Jeet Raval and Martin Guptill) and South Africa duo Dean Elgar and Aiden Markram.

Burns claims the secret to his synergy with Warner, who has opened with 10 other partners during his Australia Test career, has been their mutual understanding of game situations and how they can best withstand or exploit them.

"We know our games really well and I think our games complement each other," Burns said.

"When we're batting together, I feel like we read the game really well, we know when there’s opportunities to take it to bowling attacks but we also realise when there are key moments and we have to knuckle down and get through.

"What we’ve always done really well, and what we’re proud of doing, is winning a lot of key moments for the team.

"Sometimes it’s the first session of a Test match, sometimes the 20 minutes after a lunch break and identifying when key bowlers are on.

"At the same time, I know when he is getting bogged down by a bowler and if there’s opportunity for me to score off them, we will take those opportunities.

"That’s how you bounce off your opening partner, work together to put pressure back on a bowling attack.

"So weeks like this, with the training in the nets together and the Australia A game batting together, it provides an opportunity to form those new relationships, especially with young guys who we haven't all had a great chance to bat with a lot."

It remains unclear how long Warner will be sidelined with the adductor injury he sustained from a fielding mishap during last Sunday's Dettol Series ODI match against India at the SCG.

He has been ruled out of the three remaining Dettol Series T20I matches that get underway in Canberra tonight, and Australia men's team coach Justin Langer admitted he was "not holding my breath that he'll be ready for the first Test match".

But Burns said the 34-year-old was working around the clock to be back and playing as quickly as possible, a regime that included bouts in a hyperbaric chamber that uses oxygen therapy to boost the body's natural healing processes.

"Knowing Dave, he's a highly professional athlete, so he's doing everything he can to recover and be available," Burns said.

"I'm not sure about the actual injury or the time-frames, but I know Dave's living in a hyperbaric chamber at the moment, so it shows how much he wants to get fit and get out there.

"At the same time, we have to make sure we're ready regardless of what the situation is and make sure that, come that first Test, the eleven guys out on the field are ready to play a Test match for Australia.

"It's a huge blow if Dave's not there.

"If he is then great, but we have to prepare either way."

Vodafone Test Series v India 2020-21

Australia Test squad: Tim Paine (c), Sean Abbott, Joe Burns, Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, 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

Australia A v India A: December 6-8, Drummoyne Oval

Australia A v Indians: December 11-13, SCG (day-night)

First Test: December 17-21, Adelaide Oval, 3pm AEDT (day-night)

Second Test: December 26-30, MCG, 10.30am AEDT

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

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