David Warner Might Play But Will Pucovski Is Still Doubtful For The Third Test- Adam Gilchrist

Former swashbuckling Australian, Adam Gilchrist believes that David Warner is almost certain to play in the third Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy between India and Australia. Warner is set to make his comeback in the side.

The opener is added to the Australia squad for the third Test match in Sydney which commences on the 7th January. Warner suffered a groin injury during the second ODI against India. Consequently, he missed the third ODI, the T20I series, and the two Test matches in Adelaide and Melbourne. Along with Warner, young Victorian opener, Will Pucovski also returns to the squad as the struggling Joe Burns is dropped.

Gilchrist points out that Warner was moved to Melbourne to be with the team in order to avoid the border restrictions owing to the outbreak of the covid-19 virus in Sydney. With the hosts losing the second Test and their batting looking weak against the Indian bowlers Gilchrist feels that Warner will straightaway come in the opening slot to strengthen their line-up.

“He’s (Warner) very, very close. The way I look at it, he must have been pretty close to Melbourne the way he rushed down here to make sure he wasn’t caught by any border closures but he obviously didn’t get up for Melbourne,” Gilchrist told Fox Sports News.

“But if he’s moving around a lot as we’ve seen the Australians will have two days training here in Melbourne and then they head up to Sydney so I would expect he will be all right to go. It’s just a question of who will be at the other end with him,” Gilchrist added.

Will Pucovski may not be that certain: Adam Gilchrist

Gilchrist opines that while Warner will most likely play – if fit – in Sydney, however, the fate of Will Pucovski hangs in balance despite Burns being dropped as Matthew Wade did a brilliant job as a makeshift opener in the two matches.

In particular in the second Test, where Wade played two different kinds of knocks: in the first innings he attacked the Indian bowlers for 30 from 39 balls; while in the second innings Wade played an uncharacteristic knock of 40 from 137 balls bunting out the new ball but getting out before cashing in his hard work.

Adam Gilchrist reckons that Pucovski may not get the nod in the third Test as he has not played any cricket since he suffered a concussion in the warm-up match which ruled him out for two Tests. Hence, the 49-year-old asserts that the youngster may have been added to the squad just to gain some exposure before making a Test debut.

“My natural instinct is that if you bring someone into a squad, say a Pucovski, you’re probably going to play him. It may not be that certain. They might be bringing him into the squad so he can start getting higher-level practice and be fully engaged with the squad and the high-quality training that goes along with that.”

“Since his blow to the head, he hasn’t really had any other cricket to go and play, so perhaps they’re bringing him in more as cover should something else happen or if they want to play him in the fourth Test.” feels the former wicket-keeper.

Also Read: The Best Thing That We Did Was Just Walk Away From The Adelaide Humiliation- Ravichandran Ashwin