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Australia will be without their regular white-ball skipper Aaron Finch on the tour of Bangladesh, it was confirmed on Sunday (July 25).

Aaron Finch suffered a knee injury while practising in the build-up to the T20Is against West Indies, which he aggravated in the fifth game of that series. He hasn’t featured in either of the two completed ODIs with the tour set to culminate with the deciding one-dayer at Bridgetown, Barbados on Monday.

Australia limited-overs skipper Aaron Finch (File photo| PTI)

Australia Skipper Aaron Finch To Head Home For Surgery

The decision to send Aaron Finch back to Australia was taken after the extent of the injury revealed the possibility of the 34-year-old needing surgery to mend his right knee.

Australia will want their captain to undergo the procedure, if needed, and have sufficient time to rest and rehabilitate before the T20 World Cup in October. Aaron Finch though will have to serve out a 14-day quarantine upon landing in Australia before he can undergo the surgery.

“I’m extremely disappointed to be heading home,” Finch said on Sunday (July 25). “This was considered the best course of action rather than traveling to Bangladesh, not being able to play, and losing that recovery time. I will have the surgery if required and start the recovery process ahead of the World Cup.”

Aaron Finch hasn't played either of the two completed ODIs versus West Indies. — Aaron Finch hasn’t played either of the two completed ODIs versus West Indies. © AFP

Aaron Finch could be in a race to be fit for the 2021 T20 World Cup as he faces knee surgery after being ruled out of the remainder of Australia’s tours of the West Indies and Bangladesh.

Due to the complexities around travel arrangements and biosecure bubbles, Australia won’t call up a replacement for Aaron Finch. They have two reserve players on the tour, but paceman Nathan Ellis and legspinner Tanveer Sangha only provide bowling cover.

Alex Carey To Captain Australia In The Final 3rd ODI In West Indies

Alex Carey will captain the side in the final ODI in West Indies while a new T20 captain will be named over the course of time. Matthew Wade is the designated vice-captain of the T20 side and even led a game against India in Aaron Finch’s absence last year. Australia is set to fly out of Barbados on Wednesday with the five-match T20I series in Dhaka set to begin on August 3.

Alex Carey will be Australia's 26th captain in ODIs Getty Images — Alex Carey will be Australia’s 26th captain in ODIs Getty Images

When Aaron Finch missed a T20I against India last season, Matthew Wade led the side. Alex Carey is not a certain starter on the T20I side, unlike the ODIs. Other options could include the in-form Mitchell Marsh or the experienced Moises Henriques. Aaron Finch’s injury leaves Australia without another senior player on a trip to West Indies and Bangladesh where they are already missing David Warner, injured Steven Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis from a likely first-choice batting line-up.

In the 2nd ODI, Nicholas Pooran and Jason Holder rescued West Indies from more top-order troubles to level the ODI series in Barbados in the match that was delayed by 48 hours after the Covid-19 scare in the home side’s camp.

In the end, it was Australia’s collapse that proved decisive when they crumbled to 45 for 6 as left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein claimed three wickets in six balls.

The last four wickets turned the innings around by adding 142, which included a 59-run ninth-wicket stand between Adam Zampa and Wes Agar. West Indies too slipped to 72 for 5 – with Mitchell Starc again being brilliant as there was the chance of a remarkable resurgence.

West Indies 191 for 6 (Pooran 59*, Holder 52, Starc 3-26) beat Australia 187 (W Agar 41, Hosein 3-30) by four wickets