The pull shot that got Burns going again

It was the shot which signalled Joe Burns’ emergence from a torturous slump.

Under siege after posting just 62 runs from nine first-class innings entering the first Vodafone Test at Adelaide Oval, the Australia opener dispatched a short delivery from India paceman Umesh Yadav to the square-leg boundary early in the second innings.

Australia great Adam Gilchrist, on commentary at the time, described it as Burns’ "first authoritative stroke of this Test, perhaps of this season".

Having made eight in Australia’s first dig and battling to four from 18 balls in the second, the imperious stroke to close out the seventh over ultimately proved a significant moment for the 31-year-old as he steered his team to an eight-wicket victory.

Burns rewarded the selectors’ faith with an unbeaten 51 from 63 balls including seven boundaries and a six to quell the chatter about his place at the top of the order.

The Queenslander, who has four Test centuries to his name and an average of 38.86, said on Monday the powerful pull shot provided an encouraging sign he was rediscovering his best form.

"It’s funny how in this game there’s often one shot that can just give you everything you’ve been searching for as a batter," Burns said.

"The first pull shot I hit off Umesh Yadav…it felt really good off the bat and felt amazing.

"All summer I’ve been confident I’ve been batting well, just without rhythm.

"To find some rhythm in the middle, often it can be one shot away, but I’ve just kept working hard.

"I’ve been in this situation many times before and you know how quickly it can turn, but at the same time you go into the next game and you have to start again. There’s always another job to do."

Burns was seen embracing coach Justin Langer shortly after he hit a six to secure a 1-0 lead for the hosts in the four-Test Border-Gavaskar series.

Langer publicly backed Burns before the first Test of the summer, with the right-hander selected ahead of Victoria’s Marcus Harris despite returning scores of 4, 0, 0 and 1 in two tour matches against India.

Burns said it was a "special feeling" to rebound from a lean trot when "you have someone in your corner".

"It was just satisfying," he continued.

"Obviously JL’s been right in my corner over the last few weeks. 

"The message from JL was about finding rhythm. More than anything in the preparation, he wanted me to play my shots at training and just be strong-minded in our approach. I guess that shone through in that innings."

But Burns is acutely aware the job is not done yet with three Tests remaining as Australia prepare to take on an India side without Virat Kohli in the Boxing Day Test at the MCG.

"My job and my goal is to go and get big match-winning hundreds in those games," he said.

Burns said competing at the top level in a blockbuster series helped him snap his run of outs.

He said he did not worry about his immediate future in the Test team after his first-innings failure, preferring to look forward. 

"We’re so used to playing with each other now, we’ve had so much success together, it just feels familiar," Burns said of re-joining the Test set up.

"To take on a fantastic opposition in such a big series, it’s very easy just to get yourself locked in before that first ball’s bowled.

"I’d love to be coming off four or five first-class hundreds, but at the end of the day it doesn’t matter what’s happened before in the five or six weeks. Your skills stay the same, your job stays the same.

"Fortunately for me, I’ve got 10 years of experience that I draw on if the preceding five or six weeks weren’t great, but plenty of confidence to take from times before that."

Burns has been cleared of serious damage to his arm after copping a blow from Jasprit Bumrah before the dinner break on day three.

He said he experienced "a little bit of discomfort" in gripping the bat on his way to his half-century.

But Burns’ opening partner for the second Test is uncertain, with David Warner racing the clock to be fit after a groin injury, while wunderkind Will Pucovski is dealing with concussion suffered in the first tour game earlier this month. 

Matthew Wade contributed 8 and 33 in Adelaide after being promoted.

India are set to field a new-look line-up in Melbourne with Kohli on paternity leave and Mohammed Shami (broken wrist) injured, while wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha and out-of-form opener Prithvi

Shaw are reportedly under pressure to retain their places in the XI.

Vodafone Test Series v India 2020-21

Australia Test squad: Tim Paine (c), Joe Burns, Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Moises Henriques, 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

First Test: Australia won by eight wickets

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