Australian vice-captain David Warner is confident of recovering from his fractured thumb to make it in time for the first Test match against New Zealand which gets underway on 5th November in Brisbane.

Warner was hit on his thumb by a Steven Finn bouncer in the One-Day International series against England in September this year.

The 28-year-old revealed that the pain of the injury will continue to trouble him throughout his career and he is ready to deal with it without complaints.

“I think I got hit against India in Brisbane on the same thumb last season as well and the pain is always going to be there.

“It is about me getting through that pain.

“You speak to any wicketkeeper in the world - they are playing with broken fingers so I am not complaining at all.” 

With 418 runs from the five Test matches in the 2015 Ashes, Warner was one of the positives for Australia in their series defeat at the hands of England.

The left-hander opening batsman is expected to wear a thumb splint while fielding to protect his injury as it is still swollen.

Optimistic about his chances of recovery, Warner iterated that only another injury can keep him out of the first Test against New Zealand.

“Everything is very positive at this stage.

“Unless I cop another one on the thumb while I am practicing or batting out in the middle that is the only thing that will hinder my selection for the first Test.

“Two weeks ago the doctor said to me come three or four days before the first Test it should be completely healing.

“You are never worried about getting hit, the thing about cricket is you always have to go in there with a positive frame of mind.” 

With the retirement of Warner’s opening partner Chris Rogers, players like Shaun Marsh, Cameron Bancroft, Joe Burns and Usman Khawaja are lined up as the possible candidates.

Leaving the selection issues to the selectors, Warner is expecting his new opening partner to grab the opportunity and leave a legacy behind.

“I’m not a selector, for me it is about having someone at the other end I can trust as I have done with all the other partners that have come before.

“It is disappointing to lose Chris but it is another opportunity for another young player to come along and put his hand up for selection and leave their legacy behind as well.” 

Warner will make a return from injury when he takes the field for New South Wales against West End Redbacks at the Adelaide Oval in the first round of the Sheffield Shield which begins on Wednesday.

© Cricket World 2015