Shane Warne has warned young gun Will Pucovski that he will face a baptism of fire against a pumped up India side if he makes his Test debut in Adelaide.
After strengthening his case for a Test debut with a barrage of Shield runs in the lead-up, Pucovski now appears a certainty to open for Australia after David Warner's injury.
Warne too is predicting that Pucovski will partner Warner's incumbent partner, Joe Burns, but says the batting prodigy will not have it all his own way if he selected.
"He is playing against some of the best bowlers in the world under lights with a pink ball in Adelaide," he told reporters.
"It's never easy at all, (but) you've got to grab the opportunity when you get it and hopefully Pucovski can do that.
"I think it's going to be Pucovski and Burns. Pucovski is there and it was either him or Burns and now without Warner, I presume those two will probably be the leading candidates.
"But we don't know, it could be someone like Shaun Marsh or D'Arcy Short, who they might drag in as well."
Already down 0-2 in the three-match ODI series, Warne is predicting India to go hell for leather in the Test opener in Adelaide, particularly since it will be the last match skipper Virat Kohli plays before heading back home to be with his partner for the birth of their child.
"Don't write them off, but I think they're going to struggle a little bit without Virat Kohli after that first Test," he said.
"India will be going flat chat to try and win that first Test in Adelaide."
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