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David Warner delivered an early assertion on his arrival in England earlier than falling for 43 shortly earlier than lunch, with Australia 2-73 within the World Take a look at Championship last towards India.
After being despatched in to bat below gloomy skies at The Oval, Australia misplaced Usman Khawaja for a duck throughout a tough first hour on day one of many showpiece occasion.
Prodding at a ball away from his physique and with the ball swinging, Khawaja failed to maneuver his ft when edging a ball behind off Mohammed Siraj.
On the different finish Warner received by a number of shut calls within the opening hour with the ball nipping round and leaping off a size.
Marnus Labuschagne additionally wore a ball on the appropriate thumb off Siraj and required medical consideration after dropping his bat in ache.
The Queenslander then survived an lbw evaluate on umpire’s name earlier than going to lunch unbeaten on 26.
However after asserting his deliberate January 2024 retirement final weekend and with a five-Take a look at Ashes collection looming, all eyes have been on Warner.
India employed the identical techniques as Stuart Broad did at him throughout the 2019 Ashes, with Mohammed Shami coming across the wicket to the left-hander.
Warner was pressured to battle his method by the opening overs, leaving one ball that nipped again near the stumps and watching one other narrowly move the shoulder of the bat.
However in contrast to in 2019 when he averaged 9.5, Warner was capable of get by the early levels.
He pulled Shami for 4 when the Indian fast briefly went over the wicket to him for 3 balls and commenced to interrupt into his signature cowl drives to fuller balls exterior off stump.
Then after a gap hour of intense stress, the 36-year-old was capable of break the shackles towards Umesh Yadav.
He minimize and punched the right-armer to the purpose and gully boundaries 4 occasions within the one over, as a giant innings loomed one week out from the primary Ashes Take a look at.
However the opener fell simply earlier than lunch, gloving a rank brief ball down legside from Shardul Thakur by to diving wicketkeeper KS Bharat.
Warner is aware of solely runs will assure him a dream Sydney farewell following his looming retirement.
A rating at The Oval towards India would have pushed his case particularly after a patch together with only one rating over 50 from 16 innings.
India earlier made the daring name to go away out the world’s No.1-ranked bowler Ravichandran Ashwin, opting as an alternative to play a fourth fast and with all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja the only real spinner.
-AAP