David Warner, who was making his comeback in the Sydney Test from a groin injury, looked a little bit uncomfortable in his short stay in the middle. However, Australian pacer Mitchell Starc gave an update during the lunch break and said the opener is doing fine.
David Warner managed five off eight balls before being caught at first slip off the bowling of Mohammed Siraj. Warner tried to rotate the strike and took some quick singles in his short stay. He was soon dismissed while playing an expansive drive without much foot movement.
It has been speculated that as Warner was starting to feel uneasy with his running, he tried to get out of the jail by playing some aggressive shots. However, Mitchell Starc made it clear that Warner has been pretty professional about his injury and said he was doing fine. Speaking to Seven Network during lunch break, Starc said:
“He’s been doing a lot of his rehab and been very professional about it. When you come back from injuries, there is always that little bit of doubt about it. But he seems pretty fine .. no ice on,” Starc said.
During David Warner’s brief stay at the crease, former Australia captain Ricky Ponting was also left concerned by the southpaw playing two rash flat-footed shots. He played and missed the first time, but got a thick edge on the second, and the catch was swallowed by Cheteshwar Pujara at first slip.
I hope he hasn’t tweaked it again. It was pretty much from that moment (the quick single) on that those loose shots started. Has not looked comfortable (since the quick single). Hopefully, it (the groin injury) wasn’t playing on his mind; hopefully, he’s OK.” Ponting said on Seven Network
Australia made two changes to their team as they dropped Travis Head and Joe Burns for the third Test. David Warner had earlier made it clear that he won’t be a hundred percnt fit for the Sydney Test and the risk of playing him has failed in the first innings at least.
Mark Waugh criticises David Warner for a poor shot
Meanwhile, former Australian batsman Mark Waugh came down heavily on David Warner for playing a loose shot early in the innings. Waugh was disappointed with the southpaw’s shot selection.
“That’s just a loose shot, That’s not a shot you want to be playing in the first 20 minutes of a Test match. Even if his groin was okay, he would have had to take an almighty step to get even close to that delivery,” Mark Waugh said.
The Australian team once again failed to get a good opening start, and will now be hoping Warner fares better in the second innings.
Published 07 Jan 2021, 11:21 IST
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