Australia opener David Warner has flown back home after being ruled out of the remaining two Test matches in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy due to a hairline fracture on his elbow. The left-hander is the second high-profile Australian cricketer after captain Pat Cummins to have flown back home after the six-wicket loss in the second Test in Delhi. Cummins, who has gone home due to an illness in his family, will return before the third Test in Indore starting March 1. Warner, however, is only likely to be back for the three-match ODI series starting after the Tests.
"David Warner has been ruled out of the Qantas test tour of India and will return home," CA said in a statement issued this afternoon. Warner was struck on the elbow in the second Test in Delhi and sustained a hairline fracture."
The left-hander suffered multiple body-blows in the first innings of the Delhi Test. Concussion substitute Matt Renshaw replaced Warner in the second innings, who was hit on the helmet by a Mohammed Siraj bouncer in the 10th over of the visitors' first innings on Day 1. This came after the left-hander hurt his left elbow in the eighth over against the same bowler.
"After further assessment, he will require a period of rehabilitation which will preclude any further involvement in the remainder of the Test series. It is currently anticipated that he will return to India for the three One-Day Internationals which follow the Test Series," CA said.
Warner's place was anyway under the scanner after his low returns in the series. The experienced left-hander registered scores of 1, 10 and 15 in the three innings that he batted and looked far from being comfortable against the spinners. But astonishingly, two out of the three times, he was dismissed by Mohammed Shami.
{{/usCountry}}Warner's place was anyway under the scanner after his low returns in the series. The experienced left-hander registered scores of 1, 10 and 15 in the three innings that he batted and looked far from being comfortable against the spinners. But astonishingly, two out of the three times, he was dismissed by Mohammed Shami.
{{/usCountry}}Travis Head opened the batting for Australia in the second innings. With Cameron Green and Mitchell Starc likely to return to the Australian XI, it is likely that Head will continue to bat at the top of the order along with Usman Khawaja.