David Warner has been ruled out of the second Test in Delhi due to concussion. The opener also suffered a small hairline fracture on his left elbow after copping multiple blows while batting on the opening day at the Kotla.

Warner has been replaced by Matt Renshaw under the concussion substitute rule but he is set to remain on tour for now. He was likely to bat again in the match despite the small fracture had he not been ruled out with concussion.

Warner was struck on the helmet by Mohammed Siraj at the end of the 10th over on the opening day having previously taken a painful blow on the left elbow. Both times he was struck when he tried to pull a Siraj bouncer but was beaten for pace.

The first blow hit the forearm near the left elbow. He then got a top edge into the grille of the helmet and hurt his left jaw as he turned his head to the leg side.

Warner received treatment from the team doctor and physio for the blow on the elbow and was in a lot of discomfort. He had the elbow strapped before continuing to bat.

But after the second blow on the helmet he did not undergo a concussion test or get his helmet changed. He continued to bat before edging Mohammed Shami to the wicketkeeper and didn’t take the field late in the day when Australia bowled.

Usman Khawaja, Warner’s opening partner, admitted on Friday that the left-hander was “weary” and that the medical staff would take a call on his further participation in the Test.

Later he failed a concussion test and was withdrawn from the match.

“Warner will now follow the graduated return to sport protocols ahead of the third Test in Indore in line with Cricket Australia guidelines,” a statement said.

Maxwell fitness

Australian white-ball specialist Glenn Maxwell looked fighting fit as he blasted a fine half-century during a weekend club fixture on his return from a grievous leg injury he had suffered in November last year.

The 34-year-old all-rounder will now play a Marsh Sheffield Shield match for Victoria against South Australia on Monday, and if he does well he could be in line for national call-up for the three ODIs against India in March.

Maxwell had fractured his left fibula at a friend’s party days after Australia had made a premature exit from the ICC T20 World Cup at home in November 2022, following which he underwent surgery and a long three-month rest and recovery phase.

Maxwell’s injury had happened at a time when he was bracing for a Shield match in December last year to claim a spot in Australia’s Test squad for the ongoing Border-Gavaskar series in India.

Playing his first game after injury, Maxwell smashed 61, studded with two sixes and five boundaries for club side Fitzroy-Doncaster.

Written with PTI inputs