India tour of Australia: Warner throws his weight behind Burns

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Bengaluru, November 23: Australia's opener David Warner has backed incumbent Joe Burns to pair with him at the top of the order ahead of the in-form Will Pucovski in the home summer against India.

Burns has been struggling of late, while the young Pucovski made it to the squad on the basis on a string of consistent scores in domestic cricket.

Warner and Burns average over 50 at the top of the order and their partnership helped Australia whitewash Pakistan and New Zealand during the last home summer

Against this backdrop, Warner sees no reason to break a a successful opening partnership with Burns.

"I've batted time with Joe together in the middle. I know exactly what we're about when we're out there. We won a lot of games last year. For me you don't break something that's working," said Warner.

Test skipper Tim Paine and coach Justin Langer too have thrown their weight behind Burns, though there have been clamours for Pucovski's inclusion from past players like ex-captain Mark Taylor.

Victoria's Pucovski has been included in Australia's 17-man squad after amassing 495 runs from just two Sheffield Shield matches.

The promising 22-year-old will have another chance to impress when he faces India's bowlers in a tour match in Sydney from December 6, a game that is being viewed literally as a bat-off with Burns, who has not managed a fifty in his last five innings.

"If they go the way of Will, he has been batting fantastic and been in and out of the Test squad," Warner said.

"He's in the right frame of mind at the moment. It probably is an opportunity for him to come into the team.

"But as we know it's harder to get out of this team than get in. I didn't think Joe did anything wrong last summer. We had some great partnerships.

"That's what you want from your opening partnership. And at the end of the day I've to be happy with it and embrace whoever they pick," added Warner.

The first of the four-match series begins with the day/night pink-ball Test at the Adelaide Oval on December 17.

(With inputs from Agencies)