David Warner has failed to recover from injury and won’t make Australia’s second Test against India. Warner, who missed the first Test, has been struggling with a groin injury in the build-up to the second. On Wednesday morning Cricket Australia confirmed that Warner would not recover in time to be considered, although it was always unlikely that he would have been, given the injury and COVID-19 protocol complications.

Warner and Seamer Sean Abbott were recuperating separately away from the main Australian squad after their arrival into Melbourne to avoid being trapped in New South Wales due to the Covid-19 outbreak on Sydney’s northern beaches.

Bio-security restrictions around the team mean that, because they left Sydney for Melbourne on 19 December, they will only be able to join the squad inside the hub after the Boxing Day Test.

‘Warner has not fully recovered from a groin injury suffered in the ODI Series against India and would not have been available for the second Test match, while Abbott has recovered from a calf strain sustained during Australia A’s tour match against India and would have been available for selection for the Boxing Day Test,’ a Cricket Australia statement said.

‘The pair travelled from Sydney to Melbourne to continue their rehabilitation given the changing public health situation in Sydney at the time.’