MELBOURNE: Australian opener David Warner has declared himself fit for the third Test against India while injury worries over Shane Watson too eased after the duo today took part in a training session ahead of the match starting Friday.
The left-handed batsman was struck in the second innings of the Brisbane Test, even as the hosts won the match by four wickets to take a 2-0 lead in the four-match series.
“It was a bit sore when it hit the splice or the toe of the bat, but that’s to be expected.
“I feel good and I’m ready to go,” Warner said.
“I tried to have a dip at the spinners to see if I could actually hit the ball as hard as I can. It did feel real sore.
But for me it’s about trying to hold out that pain and grind it out. I will bear it and get out there on Boxing Day.”
Rookie Joe Burns has been named in the Australian squad for this third Test, and he will take Mitchell Marsh’s place in the playing XI.
As such there was never any replacement named for Warner and he was expected to play this match.
However there have been a few injury scares for the hosts this week, with Mitchell Starc and Watson getting hit in the nets yesterday, the latter quite shaken up after being hit on the helmet.
Today, even as Starc and Watson shook off their concerns, Marsh was hit on the left hand raising yet another concern for the Australian team management.
Meanwhile, Ryan Harris has recovered from his quadriceps injury sustained after the first Test.
While Watson was back in the nets, he didn’t face any pace bowlers.
The all-rounder was very disturbed when he had first returned to practice sessions after Phillip Hughes’ death last month.
It remains to be seen whether that incident and his latest hit will be still playing on his mind. Warner though shrugged off this thought.
“A lot of us like to prepare differently. I’m the first person to put my hand up to say I don’t face our quicks as much,” he said.
“It’s about feeling bat on ball and getting your feet right for the game. Watson is practicing as well as I’ve seen him. He’d like a bit more runs than he has been scoring. But the way I’ve seen him prepare in the nets he’s looking great.- PTI
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