India vs Australia: After Will Pucovski, David Warner and Sean Abbott ruled out of Boxing Day Test


India vs Australia: After Will Pucovski, David Warner and Sean Abbott ruled out of Boxing Day Test

David Warner limps off the field

David Warner limps off the field
David Warner limps off the field

Australia opener David Warner has been ruled out of the Boxing Day Test against India. The southpaw is still recovering from a groin strain he picked up in the ODI series. While fast bowler Sean Abbott has full recovered from a calf strain, he has been ruled out of the second Test, owing to Cricket Australia‘s strict biosecurity protocols. Although the duo of Warner and Abbott left Sydney in time before the COVID-19 outbreak developed, CA’s protocols don’t allow them to rejoin the squad in time for the encounter.

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Both Warner and Abbott were at home nursing their injuries outside the team’s bio-secure hub. And although neither were in a designated COVID ‘hotspot’, they will have to carry out a 14-day quarantine before entering the team’s bio bubble. Earlier, Joe Burns was cleared after he copped a nasty blow to the elbow in the pink-ball Test. And the recent developments suggest that the hosts will take to the field at the MCG with an unchanged side.

Will Pucovski’s wait for Test debut continues

Will Pucovski
Will Pucovski

Young opener Will Pucovski was earlier ruled out of the second Test. He was all set to debut in the Test series after Warner was ruled out of the series opener. However, Pucovski suffered a concussion after being hit on the helmet during the first warm-up match. He was subsequently ruled out of the day-night series opener. The Victorian has been prone to concussions in his short career this being the ninth time he has hit on the helmet.

Despite being haunted with injury concerns, the hosts seem to be faring fine in the Border Gavaskar series so far. After a sluggish performance in the first innings of the pink ball Test, the Aussies bounced back to seal an empathetic eight-wicket win. The makeshift opening partnership of Burns and Matthew Wade is looking fine at the moment as the hosts await the return of Warner. The Burns-Wade duo shared a 70-run stand in the final innings of the pink-ball Test after getting off to a poor start in the first innings.

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Also Read | Joe Burns cleared for second Test; Will Pucovski ruled out