I Hope David Warner Hasn't Tweaked His Injury Again: Ricky Ponting

Former Australia captain, Ricky Ponting expresses his concerns over David Warner’s injury after the first day’s play of the third Test match between India and Australia in Sydney. Warner made a return to Australia’s playing eleven after missing out on the T20I series and the first two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar series against India.

The opener suffered a groin injury during the ODI series which ruled him out of the action for more than a month. However, his return lasted for only 8 deliveries as he edged one to the slips slashing a delivery that was well outside the off-stump form Mohammed Siraj. Warner departed after scoring just 5 runs.

But more than his low score it was Warner’s running between the wicket which would be a concern for Justin Langer. Ricky Pointing observed that the southpaw was clearly not fully fit as he hobbled while taking his singles. Ricky Ponting hopes that Warner is okay and haven’t aggravated his strain. Regarding Warner’s dismissal, the former skipper opined that that’s the way the opener plays and tries to get on top of the bowlers.

“I think everyone knew that he probably wasn’t going to be 100 percent coming into the Test match. The only thing I hope is that he hasn’t tweaked it again, doing something more there. It was pretty much from that moment on that those loose shots started. So hopefully it wasn’t playing on his mind, hopefully, he’s okay and hopefully, we can just say that that’s the way David Warner plays a shot like that early on in a Test match,” Ricky Ponting told Channel 7.

Looks like a great batting pitch: Ricky Ponting

The 46-year-old feels that the track being used in the game is very flat and Australia should post a big first-innings total. The hosts ended a rain-curtailed day at the score of 166/2. After losing Warner early, Marnus Labuschagne dug in along with debutant, Will Pucovski stitching a 100-run stand. The youngster notched his maiden Test fifty and was dismissed by another debutant, Navdeep Saini.

Steve Smith came in and launched an attack on the Indian bowlers, Ravichandran Ashwin in particular. Ashwin, who has had the hold of Smith in the series hitherto, was greeted by Smith skipping down and smashing him straight. Ponting reckons Labuschagne and Smith should carry on batting as they have their eyes set.

“Looks like a great wicket, this. This looks like the sort of wicket where you get a start, lock yourself in and you make sure you score big runs. Both these guys have got off to good starts, they look comfortable, they really have to capitalize now,” added Ricky Ponting.

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