IND vs AUS: David Warner has perhaps played his last Test in India. He copped a few blows from bouncers from Mohammad Siraj and failed the resultant concussion test in the dressing room. Mathew Renshaw was named his concussion sub for the rest of the Test.
But it has emerged that Warner has also suffered a hair-line fracture in his elbow from one of the Siraj bouncers on the opening day’s play. “He got a knock to the arm and then the head, I think the head made him a little bit weary at the moment and couldn’t come out to field,” Australian teammate Usman Khawaja had said at the end of first day’s play.
“He just doesn’t look himself at the moment, David Warner,” former Australian batter Michael Hussey told Fox Sports. “He looked tentative … He’s just very late on that ball, not looking for the short ball at all.”
Allan Border too had his say on the matter. “The footwork was stagnant, wasn’t it. Very un-Warner-like, to get into these sorts of positions at the crease. He really had his struggles.”
“Warner was struck on the helmet by fast bowler Mohammed Siraj in the tenth over of play,” Cricket Australia said in a statement. “He subsequently demonstrated symptoms and failed a concussion test.
“Warner will now follow the graduated return to sport protocols ahead of the third Test in Indore in line with Cricket Australia guidelines.”
Border hoped that Renshaw, who was dropped for this game, grabs this chance.
“It’s a good opportunity for Renshaw, just out of the blue,” Border said. “It might be a bit like Marnus Labuschagne with (Steve) Smith in England – comes in and takes the chance. Hopefully that’s what happens.”
At the end of the first Test, former Australian captain Mark Taylor had given Warner 1 out of 10 marks.
“Davey in India … it’s not his favourite place to play. That’s an understatement. He’s averaging 22 in India, where he doesn’t have bounce or pace on the ball. He hasn’t had that in the past in India and he’s not going to get it at all in this series, but he’s going to have to find a way to conquer batting in India if he stays in the side. India is a unique place to play,” Taylor had told Channel Nine.