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Will play third Test even if I am not 100% fit: David Warner

"Am I going to be a 100 per cent? It is highly doubtful. But I will be doing everything I can to be able to get on that park and play and even if I am not a 100 per cent I will let the selectors give me that green light," Warner said.

By IANS

Updated On - 2 January 2021, 05:55 PM

Will play third Test even if I am not 100% fit: David Warner

Melbourne: Australia opener David Warner on Saturday said that he will be doing everything possible to get on the ground for the third Test against India in Sydney despite the unlikelihood of him getting 100 per cent fit. Warner added that he will play only if he is able to stretch to take catches in the slips and quick singles while batting.

The Australia opening batsman, who was ruled out of the first two Test matches after suffering a groin injury during the second ODI on November 29, has undergone rehabilitation taking jabs, using hyperbaric oxygen chamber and penguin cryotherapy for quick recovery.

“Am I going to be a 100 per cent? It is highly doubtful. But I will be doing everything I can to be able to get on that park and play and even if I am not a 100 per cent I will let the selectors give me that green light,” Warner told the media on Saturday morning during a virtual interaction.

Warner says that he will get a clear idea of where he stands during the training sessions on Saturday and Sunday.

“We have a training session today and tomorrow. I can’t give you any more indication of where I am at. I haven’t ran the last couple of days but today and tomorrow will give me a better indication of where I am,” he added.

The dashing batsman said that playing his shots is not a worry but it is the running between the wickets and taking catches in slips by moving to his right and left that will matter eventually in deciding if he is fit to play.

“Batting in the nets the other day actually helped me because I had to wait for the ball to be in my actual area. I mean I didn’t have to throw my hand at it, so that actually made me play nice and tight. You are going to have some restrictions here and there. But I think when you are getting into the game, adrenaline takes over as well. You don’t cast any doubt over your ability to play shots,” he said.

“For me, it is about the speed between wickets. That is all that matters. It doesn’t matter about what shots I can and can’t play. It is about drop and run, helping the guy at the other end get off-strike. They are the things that I work on. They are the things that I like to be 100% fit for. In this case I am not going to be but I am going to work out myself in the nets on how I am going to manage that. That is going to be the most important thing for myself and the team,” Warner added.

The 34-year-old batsman, who captains SunRisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League added that he will also not play if he is unable to move in the slips to take catches moving to his right and left.

“I know I can manage the shot-making… it is whether or not I have the capacity of catching the ball left and right of myself and with Gazza (Nathan Lyon) bowling. Am I going to field at first slip or leg slip? I have got to be agile enough to make sure that I am taking those chances because if I am not, given the 50% of the time of the Test that I (and Australia) will on the field, I don’t want to be dropping those chances and not giving our team the best chance of taking them. That is all it comes down to,” he said ahead of the third Test that will be telecast live on Sony Six, Sony Ten 1 and Sony Ten 3 channels from January 7.

`Not sure if Natarajan will succeed in Tests’

David Warner is very happy for his Sunrisers Hyderabad teammate Thangarasu Natarajan’s Test call-up but he is “not sure” if the Tamil Nadu left-arm seamer can consistently hit one length, over after over, in the traditional format.

Natarajan, after a hugely successful IPL, joined the Indian contingent as a net bowler but has subsequently risen up the ranks to make his ODI and T20 International debuts.
Asked if Natarajan can translate his T20 success in the Test match arena, his IPL franchise captain gave an interesting reply.

“Good question but I am not too sure. You guys would be knowing his (Natarajan) Ranji Trophy stats and how he delivers day in and day out.

“I know he has line and lengths to do that, but obviously, back to back overs in a Test match? I am not a hundred percent sure,” Warner said during a virtual news conference on Saturday.
However, Warner added that just like Mohammed Siraj, who has shown his wares in red ball cricket at the first-class level, Natarajan would be able to do the same.

“I know a fair bit about Siraj and how well he has gone in Ranji Trophy, him backing up with repeated amount of overs. Given how his (Siraj’s debut) debut went, I am hopeful, Nattu will be able to do the same if he is included in that Test squad,” Warner said.

He was all praise for the 29-year-old, who missed the birth of his first child as he was occupied with IPL and national team engagements.

“I think it’s a great reward for Nattu. I think given that he was coming over here after missing the birth of his child to be a net bowler and then being injected into the actual squad is a great achievement for him and congratulations to him.

“He is a very, very good bowler and I got to see that and captain him for Sunrisers Hyderabad. I wish him all the best and if he does get that opportunity, we know he will be comfortable and will know what he has to do.”

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