Australian Skipper Aaron Finch In Doubt For Sri Lanka T20Is Due To Back Spasms
Oct 21, 2019 at 6:33 PM
Australia’s limited-overs skipper Aaron Finch is facing a race against time to be fit for the Sri Lanka T20Is which start on Sunday this week. Finch is suffering from back spasms which saw him miss the ongoing Sheffield shield contest for Victoria against Western Australia.
He hopes to be fit for the Marsh One-Day Cup match against Western Australia which takes place on Wednesday.
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“It’s actually a little side strain. It started out as a little back niggle and it’s just a little tear in my side. So hopefully not too long. It’s been a week since I did it,” Finch told 6PR.
“Hopefully I’ll be back pushing to be touch and go for the one-dayer on Wednesday against WA but hopefully ready to go on Sunday for the T20 against Sri Lanka,” he added.
Australia does have co-captains in Tests but they don’t have co-captains in limited-overs cricket, hence, it remains to be seen who will lead Australia in the T20I series. Neither Steven Smith nor David Warner will be able to lead as the former is yet to complete his ban-period while Warner is banned from captaincy for life.
Alex Carey, who has been deputy to Finch in T20Is in past, has a strong chance to lead Australia if Finch sits out of the fixtures.
The T20I series will also see the comeback of Smith to the shortest format after three and a half years. His last T20I appearance had come during T20 World Cup in 2016. The former Australian skipper was to make a comeback during India series in 2017 but was ruled out due to shoulder issues.
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The three T20Is between Australia and Sri Lanka will be played on October 27, 30 and November 1 in Adelaide, Brisbane and Melbourne, respectively. Prior to the international fixtures, Sri Lanka will play a practice match against Prime Ministers XI on October 24.
Following the Sri Lanka T20Is, Australia also play Pakistan in three T20Is series and two Tests. Finch is expected to be fit for the Pakistan T20Is.