IND v AUS 2020: David Warner ruled out of 2nd Test against India
Australian stalwart opener David Warner has been officially ruled out of the Boxing Day Test against India. He has failed to recover from the groin injury he sustained during the ODI series.
Fast bowler Sean Abbott will also not be able for selection for the 2nd Test. Although he had regained complete fitness recently, he won't be allowed to join the squad due to the strict bio-secure bubble protocols of Cricket Australia (CA).
David Warner and Abbott had left Sydney for Melbourne last Saturday before the rest of the Australian squad. Although both weren't in a designated 'hot-spot' in Sydney, CA protocols haven't allowed them to join the team.
The pair will return to the squad ahead of the 3rd Test.
David Warner's record against India
David Warner has been a lynchpin to Australia's Test success at home. He has an average of 66 with 18 tons and 12 fifties in 43 matches Down Under.
David Warner also has two hundreds at the venue of the next Test match - the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground. These include a recent ashes century where he was caught at mid-on on 99, but the delivery from Tom Curran turned out to be no-ball.
Warner's record against India isn't eye-catching, though. Albeit he has scored four hundreds in 16 games against the Indians, David Warner averages just over 36 against them. These are his worst numbers against any opponent.
Will Pucovski, who was David Warner's possible partner for the first Test, has also been ruled out of the 2nd game.
But Australia won't be much bothered. Their makeshift pair of Joe Burns and wicketkeeper Matthew Wade shared a 70-run partnership in Adelaide. Burns, who had been struggling throughout the summer, got a chance to express himself against a short target and roared back to form with a not out half-century.
A depleted India without Virat Kohli and Mohammed Shami will meet the Australians at the MCG on December 26.