Mumbai, March 15 – Australia will play India in a three-match ODI at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai from Friday, with the visitors assessing the availability of left-handed opener David Warner.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Warner will be examined by Australian medical staff after batting before a final decision on whether he can play in the first game of the three-match series.
“They will watch Dave’s first game in Mumbai and make calls from there,” the report quoted a team spokesman as saying.
Warner was ruled out of Australia’s trip to India for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series midway through the second Test in New Delhi due to a concussion. He also suffered a hairline fracture at his elbow.
The report added that while the eight members of Australia’s one-day team arrived in India on Friday and trained in Ahmedabad, Warner was on Sunday after undergoing two final elbow rehab sessions before leaving Australia. One joined the team in Mumbai.
“He’s come back from injury so we’ll see Dave come back in Australia colors on the 17th and we’ll go from there,” Australia coach Andrew McDonald was quoted as saying.
Warner’s Test form has been in the spotlight since 2022, taking just 607 runs from 14 games, an average of 26.39, including a double century in last year’s Boxing Day Test against South Africa.
With Australia clinching a place in the World Test Championship final at London’s Oval from June 7-11, Warner is expected to take part in the prestigious competition, followed by the Ashes later this month. Warner averaged just 26.04 in 13 Tests for England.
Former captain Mark Taylor believes Australia will need to make a decision on Warner’s future as a Test player after the WTC final. “I think the Test Championship is really a godsend for Australia. To reach the final and be a top qualifier is a great achievement, but it’s another Test for England.”
“So, as well as having the chance to win the World Test Championship, it’s also a really good practice match for the Ashes series, playing at The Oval, which is obviously one of the Test venues, and against a good Indian team in British conditions. Team play. I think it’s ideal for Australia. There will be some tough call calls,” he was quoted as saying in the report.
After the first ODI in Mumbai, India and Australia will play the next two series in Visakhapatnam and Chennai on March 19 and 22 respectively.
–IANS
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