Border, who gave Warne his debut after just a handful of Sheffield Shield matches when he was captaining Australia, is now a member of the national selection panel and has been monitoring his former team-mate's recuperation from a shoulder operation with great interest.

But despite almost mass hysteria last week in Melbourne, when Warne turned his arm gently in the nets for the first time in seven months, Border remains pessimistic about Warne's chances of proving his fitness for the first Test at Brisbane on November 20.

"Even given an incident-free comeback to first class cricket and a spotless report from the specialist, the best case scenario is for Warne to return for the third Test at Adelaide on December 15," Border said.

"But in my view the more realistic date is the fourth Test in Melbourne on Boxing Day.

I promise you if the selection panel errs in its selection of Warne, it will be on the side of conservatism."

Warne, who played district cricket as part of his rehabilitation programme last weekend, is hoping to be fit enough to make his return for Victoria in the Mercantile Mutual Cup against New South Wales in Melbourne on Sunday.