Cricket Australia announced the squads for the third and fourth Tests against India starting from January 7 at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). David Warner, Will Pucovski and pace Sean Abbott have been added to the squad. Meanwhile, Joe Burns, who scored an unbeaten fifty in the first Test at Adelaide Oval, has been dropped from the 18-man squad, as he had a poor outing with the bat in the second Test in Melbourne with scores of 0 and 4.
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When asked about David Warner’s induction into the team post his recovery from the groin injury sustained in the ODIs against India, former Australian cricketer Adam Gilchrist believes that the southpaw is very close to making the playing XI for the SCG Test.
“He is (David Warner) very very close (to playing). The way I look at it, he must have been pretty close to Melbourne the way he rushed down here to make sure he wasn’t caught by any border closures but he obviously didn’t get up for Melbourne,” said Gilchrist while speaking to Fox Sports News.
The veteran wicket-keeper added,” But if he is moving around a lot as we have seen. The Australians will have two days of training here in Melbourne and then they head up to Sydney. So I would expect he will be all right to go. It is just a question of who will be at the other end with him.”
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The 22-year-old Will Pucovski, who averages over 54 in the First-Class cricket and holds 6 hundreds and 5 fifties, had suffered a concussion in the practice Test match against India A ahead of the 4-match Test series that ruled him out of the Adelaide and MCG Tests. Though he has been added into the Australian squad for the remaining matches, Gilchrist feels that the youngster hasn’t participated in any sessions or matches post the blow to the head and hence, Pucovski could miss out on the playing XI.
“My natural instinct is that if you bring someone into a squad, Pucovski, you are probably going to play him. It may not be that certain. Since his blow to the head he hasn’t really had any other cricket to go and play, so perhaps they are bringing him in more as cover should something else happen or if they want to play him in the fourth Test,” said the cricketer-turned-commentator.
Travis Head hasn’t fallen out of the selectors just yet: Adam Gilchrist
Opening the innings alongside Joe Burns in the ongoing series, so far, Matthew Wade has recorded scores of 8 (51), 33 (53), 30 (39) and 40 (137), and averages a mere 27.75. He started a bit on the aggressive front in the second Test but couldn’t convert into the fifties or a mammoth total.
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In spite of these totals, Gilchrist backs Wade to once again open for the hosts, this time with David Warner and expects Wade to lay a concrete foundation in the SCG Test.
“Matt Wade has made a really strong case to stay at the top of the order by way of determination and fight and that natural characteristic that comes through his game. He hasn’t capitalized on the big runs but I think they will probably keep Wade at the top with Warner and leave that middle order as settled as they can,” said the veteran cricketer who wore the baggy green on 96 occasions and compiled 5570 runs at an average of 47.61 and a jaw-dropping strike rate of 81.96.
As far as Travis Head’s selection is concerned for the third Test, considering he has accumulated only 38 runs in 3 innings in the concurrent series, Gilchrist feels that the southpaw should still be given a chance in the forthcoming Test and in case he falters from solid innings, then it might pave way for Will Pucoski for the final Test in Brisbane.
“I don’t think he has fallen foul of the selectors just yet, I think they will show faith in him for at least one more Test match. Then if changes need to be made, obviously they will have Pucovski there with a week of good solid training under his belt with the team. He will be there for Brisbane if they want to make a change,” Gilchrist said while concluding.
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The ongoing 4-match Test series between India and Australia is now all the more fired up with the tourists’ magnificent comeback in MCG Test to level the series 1-1, following a historic defeat in the opening Test at Adelaide Oval.
India had drawn the Test at SCG on their previous tour of Australia in 2018-19, however, with the winning momentum in their stride, the Ajinkya Rahane-led side would aim for a victory and take an unassailable 2-1 lead in Sydney.
