Warner ruled out of first Test against India in blow to Australia

Australia will be without David Warner for the first Test against India in Adelaide.

 
 

David Warner has been ruled out of the first Test against India in a huge blow to Australia.

Warner, 34, suffered an adductor injury during the second ODI against India last month and will miss the Test series opener, which begins in Adelaide on December 17.

The left-hander is pushing to return for the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.

"I feel I have made great progress in a short amount of time and it's best for me to stay here in Sydney to continue working on getting back to full fitness," Warner said in a statement on Wednesday.

"The injury feels a lot better, but I need to be able to satisfy in my own mind and to my team-mates that it is 100 per cent ready for Test match conditions.

"That includes running between the wickets and being agile in the field. Right now I feel I am short of being able to play at peak fitness and another 10 days will make a difference."

Australia head coach Justin Langer praised Warner, saying: "If there is one guy you know will go well above and beyond that's Dave.

"He has done an incredible job to get to where he is today and we hope to have a fully fit David Warner at his absolute best in Melbourne."

Much of the talk ahead of the series has centred around Warner's opening partner for the first Test, with Will Pucovski pushing for Joe Burns' spot.

Burns' poor form continued with scores of four and a duck in Australia A's drawn tour match against India.

The in-form Pucovski, meanwhile, made one in the first innings and was on 23 in the second before retiring hurt after being hit in the helmet by a Kartik Tyagi bouncer.

Australia A's second tour match against India begins in Sydney on Friday.