Langer fearing worst for Warner's first Test hopes

Australia coach Justin Langer has said he doesn't expect opening batsman David Warner to be fit for the opening Test against India starting on December 17.

Warner injured his groin while fielding in the second Dettol ODI against India and scans confirmed a strain that will keep him sidelined for the remaining white-ball games.

Langer appeared to confirm fears his absence may extend into the Vodafane Test Series, quipping it "takes a bit of pressure off" the Test selection battle between openers Joe Burns and Will Pucovski.

"He's strained his abductor in his groins and they tell me it's a very painful injury," Langer told SEN's Sportsday WA on Monday night.

"It looked like he got shot by a gun. He was in incredible pain in the changerooms after.

"We've just arrived in Canberra, so we won't see him again for probably five or six days until we get back to Sydney.

"I'm not holding my breath that he'll be ready for the first Test match, but with that said he's the sort of elite professional who will be doing literally everything possible to be ready for it.

"We'll see what happens, but he's going to be a loss that's for sure."

Warner has been replaced in Australia's T20 squad by D'Arcy Short, but has just 16 days to prove his fitness for the first Test in Adelaide.

There was no time frame put on Warner's recovery, but medical experts claimed an injury of that nature would typically mean four weeks on the sidelines. Such a scenario would not see Warner return until the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar trophy, scheduled for January 7 at the SCG.

Australia could now open with Matt Wade or shift Alex Carey to the top of the order for Wednesday's third and final Dettol ODI, while Marnus Labuschagne also put his hand up to move higher up the order.

But with that series in the bag and while ODI Super League points are up for grabs in the third ODI, the bigger issue for Australia is the Test team.

While Burns appears likely to hold his spot ahead of the in-form Pucovski at the top of the order, both could now open if Warner is ruled out.

"It takes a bit of pressure off, doesn't it?" Langer said, with a laugh.

"No wonder I'm a bit more relaxed. We've won a few games and I don't have to worry about who we're going to pick for the Test side.

"I've said it so many times, the hardest part of the job is selecting the teams, but we've got an Australia A game starting in a few days and it'll be a good opportunity for those guys against the Indian A side to put their hand up.

"And then after that is another Australia A game versus the actual Indian Test side at the SCG under lights with a pink ball.

"We'll work out who's going to play in that game and certainly there's huge opportunities for people to put their hand up."

Both Australia A tour matches will be live streamed on cricket.com.au and the CA Live app.

If Pucovski was selected he would make his Test debut against a pink ball in Adelaide – a scenario reminiscent of a sea change to Australia's Test team in 2016 when Matthew Renshaw, Peter Handscomb and Nic Maddinson all made their debuts under lights against South Africa.

Burns hit just 57 runs at 11.4 to start the Marsh Sheffield Shield for Queensland, however there is a belief from teammates he can step up into the senior opening role if Warner is unavailable.

"Joe is averaging 40 in Test cricket, so he is certainly established," Labuschagne said.

"He has four Test hundreds, he is a very good player. 

"Although he hasn't scored the runs in Shield cricket he'd have liked, he got 99 against Pakistan last summer and negotiated through that new-ball period almost every time.

"He's not far away from some very big scores."

Cricket Australia also confirmed Pat Cummins would sit out the last ODI on Wednesday and three T20s in a bid to preserve his fitness for the Tests.

"Pat and Davie are critical to our plans for the Test series," Langer earlier said in a statement from CA.

"Davie will work through his injury rehab and in Pat's case it is important all of our players are managed well to keep them mentally and physically fit.

"The priority for both is being fully prepared for one of the biggest and most important home Test series we have played in recent years."

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