Australia vs India 2018-19: Aaron Finch Retires Hurt After Being Hit By Mohammed Shami
May 31, 2023 at 12:54 PM
Australia suffered a huge injury blow early in the second innings of the Perth Test against India. Their opening batsman Aaron Finch had to leave the field retired hurt after he was struck on the glove shorty before tea. Worryingly for the hosts, Finch did not come out to bat after the break with Usman Khawaja replacing him at the crease.
The incident occurred in the 13th over of the Australian innings when Finch was hit on the gloves by a short ball from India paceman Mohammed Shami. The hosts were 33 for no loss at that time, leading India by 276 runs. Grimacing in pain, Finch threw off his right glove and immediately called for the team physio.
Finch had coped blows twice on the same finger in recent times. It began when his teammate Mitchell Starc hit him on the bottom hand during training for the first ODI of the season, also in Perth against South Africa last month. Earlier this month, he was hit on the same by the same bowler in Australia’s main training session before the first Test in Adelaide. Finch was heard saying ‘same finger’ when the team physio came to the field.
Unable to carry on, Finch left the field alongside the medical staff as the umpires called for the tea break.
Before departing, Finch had slammed five fours in 30 balls to race to 25 and build Australia’s lead as the hosts look to level the series after defeat in Adelaide. The injury would be a big blow for Finch who scored a fifty in the first innings after twin failures in Adelaide.
Report from Cricket Australia confirms that Finch was sent to hospital for a x-ray while further reports are awaited.
Meanwhile, Australia made light work of India’s tail to bowl out the visitors for 283 despite Virat Kohli scoring 123. India started the day on 172 for 3 but lost wickets on regular intervals and squandered a 43-run lead.