The opener bats without problems but its overall movement remains an issue after the groin injury.
David Warner is still struggling to regain his former vitality after a groin injury, making him a dubious starter for the third Test of the opposition series. India even as Australia feel it is always more willing at the top of the batting order.
Australia coach Justin Langer revealed on Sunday that Warner was now batting comfortably in the nets as part of the hosts’ preparation for the next game, but that he was impacted by his move from the side effects. after the groin tears suffered during the second ODI against India at the SCG back in November.
The need to get over Warner was exacerbated by the fact that Australia failed the first innings in one of the first two trials, meaning they are a big follow-up to the vaunted bowling attack to keep the home team ahead of India.
“No one is more professional and he does everything possible,” Langer told Ricky Ponting in a lunchtime interview on Seven. “We saw him bat the day before the game, he’s batting again this afternoon at the MCG, so in terms of his bat he’s flying, he’s just trying to … he’s still gets a little trouble with his groin and we know how lively he is.
“His run between the wickets, his moves all the time, so he’s getting closer and hopefully he’s coming well, he’s definitely hoping he’s coming well, but he’ll tell. We still have a few more days to go until the next Test match. “
Warner’s union with Joe Burns last season gave Australians a number of major platforms against Pakistan and New Zealand, without which they have yet to record a centennial stand against India, comes closest in 86 runs running between Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head on Boxing Day.
But even that stance was a source of frustration for Langer, emphasizing that as two bats are positioned in challenging situations, it is imperative for them to advance to partnerships worth 150 or more.
“Just like the first Test, just our partnerships,” Langer said when asked what his disappointment was. “We’re not going to set up games as best we could – if you look at our partners in the first Test game in the first innings and then yesterday, we need a lot more get better at that.
“We had one 50-run partnership in the first Test and we had an 86-run partnership yesterday, and you also have to, when you have an 86-run partnership, you have to turn that into 150, because you organize and set up the game. So we weren’t able to do that and for me, partnerships were as big as anything. “
Daniel Brettig is assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo. @danbrettig