• Coach says Australia’s bowlers will stick to their plans • Smith not fit to play after being hit by bouncer at Lord’s

Justin Langer insists Australia must not be drawn into a bouncer war with England after Steve Smith was officially ruled out of Thursday’s third Test because of the lingering effects of concussion.

The tourists are only one win away from retaining the Ashes but will be without their premier batsman because Smith is not ready to return after being hit by a 92mph Jofra Archer short ball to the neck during the draw at Lord’s.

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Australia’s attack has never been shy of roughing up batsmen – Archer himself was targeted on debut – but Langer, the head coach who has preached a more disciplined approach with the ball on this tour, has warned his team against a fiery response.

Langer said: “We know what our plans are to beat England. What we’re not going to do is get caught up in an emotional battle of who’s going to bowl the quickest bouncers. We’re here to win the Test match, not to see how many helmets we can hit.

“I’m sure the bouncer will still be part of every bowler’s armoury. If it helps us get batsmen out then we’ll use it; otherwise we’ll keep sticking to the plan.”

Smith passed three concussion tests immediately after the blow and resumed his innings 40 minutes later. But after failing a fourth test the following morning, amid symptoms that included headaches and dizziness, he was always unlikely to be ready for the second of back-to-back Tests.

The 30-year-old, whose twin centuries at Edgbaston powered Australia to their 1-0 lead, was at training on Tuesday but remained a bystander for the session before Langer confirmed the news.

Langer said: “At the end of the day it was really a no-brainer. He felt a bit better yesterday but he is not going to have time enough to tick off everything he needs to do to be ready to play.”

Play Video 0:59 England focused despite Smith's withdrawal from third Ashes Test – video

Marnus Labuschagne replaced Smith as a concussion substitute at Lord’s and, despite being hit in the grille by Archer’s second ball, helped close out the match with a resolute 59. The right-hander received a similar blow from Mitchell Starc in the nets on Tuesday but shook it off and is down to continue in the middle order.

Smith, who is now targeting the tour match against Derbyshire from 29 August for his return, represents a significant loss for Australia. Langer compared it to the injury suffered by Jimmy Anderson during the first Test; England’s attack leader is now trying to prove his fitness by playing for Lancashire’s second XI this week.

Archer presents a very different challenge to what Australia had planned for, however. Langer said: “We were expecting Anderson to swing the ball, seam the ball and we were going to have to be really tight in our defence.

“[But] Jofra certainly brings a different dimension and we saw he bowled quick. But also his economy was incredible. So it’s skilful bowling with fast bouncers in between.

“That’s Test cricket. That’s what we love about it. You know you’re alive when you’re facing fast bowling. It’s bloody brilliant.

“Our guys play a lot of short-ball cricket in Australia. We tend to play on bouncy wickets. We play on the Waca, we play on the Gabba. So they’re used to playing off the back foot and I’m sure they’ll prepare accordingly.”

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Langer suggested that, beyond the loss of Smith, the tourists will keep faith with rest of their batting line-up and, as was the case before Lord’s, he tipped David Warner to deliver after a quiet start to the series that has meant a top score of eight to date.

“I expect [a lot] out of David every time he plays, whether Steve Smith is playing or not playing,” said Langer. “We expect it of all our senior players. He looked really sharp in the nets today. He’ll be hungry. So don’t write off David Warner.”

Australia’s main decision instead surrounds the quicks. Starc is pushing hard for a first outing but James Pattinson – similarly fast but perhaps more controlled with it – is another option, if fresh legs are required, after being rested at Lord’s.