Warner ruled out of Adelaide Test

Australia have suffered a huge blow with David Warner confirmed to miss the first Vodafone Test against India in Adelaide through injury.

Warner suffered a groin strain in the second Dettol ODI at the Sydney Cricket Ground and was subsequently ruled out of the final one-dayer and three-match T20I series, which India won 2-1.

Warner is hopeful of making a return in the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.

"I feel I have made great progress in a short amount of time and it's best for me to stay here in Sydney to continue working on getting back to full fitness," Warner said.

"The injury feels a lot better, but I need to be able to satisfy in my own mind and to my team-mates that it is 100 per cent ready for Test match conditions.

"That includes running between the wickets and being agile in the field. Right now, I feel I am short of being able to play at peak fitness and another 10 days will make a difference."

While the news is not unexpected, the loss of Warner is massive for Tim Paine's side that lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy on home soil two summers ago without their dynamic opening batter and champion No.4 Steve Smith.

Australia coach Justin Langer said Warner's supreme fitness levels gave the side great confidence he may be fully fit for the second Vodafone Test.

"If there is one guy you know will go well above and beyond that's Dave," Langer said.

"He has done an incredible job to get to where he is today and we hope to have a fully fit David Warner at his absolute best in Melbourne."

The news comes less than 24 hours after Test aspirant Will Pucovski was hit on the helmet late on day three of Australia A's tour match against an Indian XI, which left him displaying mild concussion symptoms.

Pucovski continued to be monitored by medical staff in Sydney on Wednesday, a day after his hopes of a Test debut were thrown into doubt with a blow to the head while batting in a tour match.

The 22-year-old will remain in Sydney for at least the next few days, before Australia make a call on whether to fly him to Adelaide and give him some hope of playing.

"Will has progressed as expected and is experiencing mild symptoms of concussion similar to yesterday," Australia's doctor John Orchard said.

"He is in good spirits and has been communicating and interacting regularly with teammates and staff.

"Will will remain with the Australia A squad in Sydney where we will continue to monitor his progress."

The knock, the latest in a long list, has ruled the 22-year-old out of the three-day pink ball tour match starting Friday and put his chances of a Test debut at the Adelaide Oval on December 17 in doubt.

Queensland opener and Test incumbent Joe Burns, who has averaged 8.71 against the red ball this summer, is the only other specialist opener in the Test squad.

The impact of Warner's absence cannot be understated.

The 34-year-old averages 66 in Australia with 18 centuries in 43 matches, including a career best 335 not out last summer against Pakistan and a century on the first session of a Test, against the same opponent, in 2017.

Warner will remain in Sydney while those in the Test squad who are not playing the day-night tour match travel to Adelaide today. 

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

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