David Warner says Phillip Hughes’s final moments as a cricketer continue to turn over in his mind, as he prepares for an emotional SCG Test.

Warner returns to play at the SCG for the fourth Test against India starting on Tuesday, for the first time since Hughes was struck by a bouncer at the venue in November, before dying two days later in hospital.

The 27-year-old Warner was on the field with Australian teammates Brad Haddin, Shane Watson and Nathan Lyon when Hughes was hit in the Sheffield Shield match between NSW and South Australia.

It is an incident Warner says he has been dealing with ever since.

“This Test I honestly can’t tell you (how I will be) until I go out there and sing that national anthem and walk out there,” Warner said on Sunday.

“At the moment, not just for me but for the guys that were here (when Hughes was hit) as well they are putting on a brave face.

“It is going to be emotional, I know for myself it will be, just walking out there today, just brought back memories,” he said.

“It is always going to be in the back of my mind, every time I walk out there, every time I come here, that’s just the way it is, any time I’ve got nothing on my mind, I will be thinking about it.

“I know when I go to face up at that Randwick End I’m going to be looking down at that spot.

“It’s going to be tough but I’ve got to try and hold back the emotions and do what I do for the team and try and score runs.”

Warner says he will continue to use Hughes’s enthusiastic spirit as motivation and has declared himself a certain starter for the SCG Test, despite continuing to battle thumb and arm injuries.

“I’m fine, I’m ready to go. The arm is sore but I just have to play through that pain like I did for the last game,” Warner said after training.

“It is not going to be in the back of my mind, that is for sure.”