Aaron Finch, the Australia limited-overs captain, called upon his players to step up and challenge for places in the XI, as the team gives final touches to its World Cup preparations.
Australia, who have struggled in the absence of Steve Smith and David Warner, are set to begin their final leg of away limited-overs games before their World Cup defence begins in May in England and Wales.
With both Smith and Warner nursing injuries, their return to international cricket immediately after the end of their Cricket Australia-imposed 12-month bans looks doubtful.
Hence, Finch has urged players to “step up” as Australia take on India in two Twenty20 Internationals and five one-day internationals, beginning with the first T20I in Visakhapatnam on Sunday, 24 February.
“We’re seeing Davey [Warner] have some elbow surgery recently, and Steve [Smith], so [important] for that to be in the back of your mind as well,” Finch said on the eve of the first T20I. “If things don’t go 100% right with the rehab, or they have some complications with it and they’re not back in time, it’s a huge opportunity for guys to step up and almost cement their place going forward for the next little while.”
There are plenty of combinations that Australia can try in the duo’s absence, with players gaining form in the recent Big Bash League, Australia’s final home league before the World Cup. “There’s a few options we’ve got. Obviously, myself and D’Arcy [Short]. Usman [Khawaja]. [Marcus] Stoinis, who’s done really well through the Big Bash,” Finch said.
“[Alex] Carey did it really well in the UAE for that last game that we played. Yeah, there’s plenty to think about and a few options we can go with, and a few combinations. That’s something we’ll think about.”
However, should Smith and Warner be available for the games leading up to the World Cup, Finch indicated that Australia can be flexible in their batting order to make room for them. “There’s also things you can juggle around in one-day cricket,” he said.
“I’ve batted in the middle-order quite a bit, Davey’s done it the odd time, so whatever we feel is the right combination at the time. I don’t think anything’s out of the question.”
Australia come into this tour having lost the ODI series to India at home in January and drawn the T20I series last year. Their recent form in limited-overs cricket hasn’t been the best – Australia managed only two wins in 13 ODIs in 2018. But for Finch, the year wasn’t without improvements.
“It’s a great opportunity for us to keep improving. In the series at home, against India, we improved a lot from the series before,” he said. “There was a great progression made in where we want to be going over the next few months in particular, so it’s a great opportunity for us to keep nailing down that pattern that we want to play leading into the World Cup.
“We’ve still got 10 [ODI] internationals, plus five other warm-up games before that first World Cup game, so there’s still a fair bit of cricket to go. As long as we keep tracking in the right direction and give India a really good fight and win this series – that’ll be what it’s all about.”
