Opener David Warner and pacer Sean Abbott were on Wednesday ruled out of the second Test against India, beginning here on Saturday, because of a mix of injuries and Covid-19 protocols.

Both Warner and Abbott were outside the team’s bio-secure hub to get treatment for their respective groin and calf injuries. The duo were flown in to Melbourne ahead of schedule on Saturday due to concerns over the recent outbreak of coronavirus in Sydney’s northern beaches.

“While neither player has been in a specific ‘hotspot’ on Sydney’s northern beaches as outlined by NSW Health, Cricket Australia’s bio-security protocols do not allow them to rejoin the squad in time for the Boxing Day Test,” Cricket Australia said in a statement.

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