Why David Warner is not playing: Who will open for Australia in Warner’s absence in Canberra ODI?

Who will open for Australia: Australia have taken the field in the third ODI without a tried and tested name in David Warner.

During the third ODI of the ongoing India’s tour of Australia in Canberra, India captain Virat Kohli has won the toss and chose to bat in what is a dead-rubber after the visitors have lost the first two matches of the three-match series.

“We will bat first. Looks a nice wicket and the last time we played here it was a really good wicket to bat on. Want to bat well and put the opposition under pressure.

“Need to improve the body language in the field and the bowling as well. It’s a result of us not being consistent in the last two games, we are gonna try a few things tonight and see how it goes,” India captain Virat Kohli told Fox Sports during the toss.

Coming on the back of two consecutive losses, India have made as many as four changes to their squads as opening batsman Shubman Gill, pacers Shardul Thakur and debutant T. Natarajan and spinner Kuldeep Yadav have replaced opening batsman Mayank Agarwal, pacers Navdeep Saini and Mohammed Shami and spinner Yuzvendra Chahal.

Who will open for Australia in Warner’s absence in Canberra ODI?

Australia captain Aaron Finch, on the other hand, dismissed talks of the match being a “dead-rubber” saying that his team will do everything it can to register a third consecutive victory. While opening batsman David Warner (hamstring injury) and vice-captain Pat Cummins were already rested for this match, fast bowler Mitchell Starc has also been rested for this match..

“We have got three changes. [Mitchell] Starc got a back and rib niggle and the medical team informed us that he will greatly benefit by resting, and obviously Davey [David Warner] and Pat Cummins not playing today.

“Marcus [Labuschagne] will be opening for us. No such thing as a dead-rubber when you are playing for Australia and we will be doing everything we can to try and win the game,” Finch told Fox Sports at the toss.

As far as replacements are concerned, Australia have handed a debut to all-rounder Cameron Green as Warner’s replacement. In the bowling department, all-rounder Ashton Agar and pacer Sean Abbott have been included for Cummins and Starc.

It is worth mentioning that Labuschagne has himself expressed his desire to open the batting alongside Finch in Warner’s absence. “Certainly if I got asked to open the batting absolutely it’s an opportunity that I would enjoy doing. We’ll wait and see how our team shapes up for the next game and see the balance of the side, but yeah I would love doing it,” Labuschagne had said before the third ODI.