Legendary leg-spinner Shane Warne has revealed his Australia XI for the upcoming first Test of the much-anticipated Border-Gavaskar Series against India. The first match is scheduled to start on December 17 in Adelaide and will be a day-night affair. It will be the first-ever pink-ball Test between the two countries.
With David Warner out of the game due to a groin injury, Shane Warne has named Marcus Harris/Will Pucovski and Joe Burns as openers of his team. At present, Pucovski is sidelined too after suffering a blow at his head during the first tour game against India A.
However, he is expected to be fit in time for the first Test. The highly-rated opener earned his maiden Test call-up after scoring back-to-back double centuries in the Sheffield Shield this season. Shane Warne picked Harris only if Pucovski would be unavailable for the game.
For the middle-order, the former Australia spin spearhead went with Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith and Travis Head. The spin wizard also kept his choice for No.6 spot open in form of wicketkeeper-batsman Matthew Wade and uncapped all-rounder Cameron Green.
He said he would only pick Green if conditions required an extra seam option. Green made an unbeaten 125 and removed both openers in India’s second innings in the tour match this week.
“I’d love to get Cameron Green in the side but I reckon I’d have a look at the pitch first,” Shane Warne told Fox Sports.
“If they feel like they want a few extra overs with the pink ball then I’d get Green in. He’s in such good form, I’d like to see him play but if not then I’d like to see him debut when it’s a bit easier than under lights with the pink ball and I’d pick Matthew Wade,” he added.
In the bowling department, Shane Warne picked Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood as the pacers while picking Nathan Lyon as the lone spinner in his final XI.
Shane Warne’s Australia XI:
Tim Paine (c/wk), Joe Burns, Pat Cummins (vc), Matthew Wade/Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Will Pucovski/Marcus Harris, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc.