Brad Hogg, the former Australian spinner believes the Australian top-order needs to fire if Australia wants to progress into the knockout stages of the 2021 T20I World Cup competition. The usually reliant pair of Aaron Finch and David Warner are struggling for form at the moment, especially the latter.
Skipper Aaron Finch is coming off a knee injury and prior to the New Zealand warm-up game, he last played in the Caribbean in July this year. David Warner, on the other hand, had a forgettable year after. He lost his playing-XI spot and the captaincy role he had with the Sunrisers Hyderabad. He was only able to score a solitary run across both warm-up games as well.
Brad Hogg: David Warner Has To Get Back In Form For A Poor Start By The Openers Mean Australia Will Be On The Back Foot Straightaway
Brad Hogg noted that if the top order comprising of David Warner and Aaron Finch does not fire, the unstable Australian middle order will be under pressure right away. David Warner didn’t tour with Australia to the Caribbean and Bangladesh mid-year in order to rest for the second half of the IPL and the World Cup but scored just 0 and 2 in his first two games on resumption of the IPL in the UAE and was left out of Sunrisers’ side again.
Aaron Finch himself is entering the tournament after surgery to repair cartilage in his right knee in August. Initially, there were doubts regarding his availability for Australia’s two warm-up games against New Zealand (October 18) and India (October 20), but he scored 24 and 8 respectively in the warm-up games.
While enlisting key players from the Aussie squad on Deep Dasgupta’s YouTube channel, Brad Hogg said: “For me, the key players would be Warner and Finch at the top. Warner has to get in form because if you don’t get a good start at the top of the order, if the openers don’t do the job, you’re on the back foot straightaway.”
“Maxwell at No.4 is an important component. Josh Inglis should come in at No.6, he has got 360 arc shots and could prove to be a difference in the batting unit. Mitchell Starc is the key with the ball. He has to pick up wickets with the new ball and in the death as well.”
Australia will begin their quest for their maiden T20 World Cup title against South Africa on October 23 (Saturday) in Abu Dhabi.
Brad Hogg: Marcus Stoinis’ Fitness Is A Major Concern
Brad Hogg admitted that Marcus Stoinis’ fitness is a huge concern. The all-rounder suffered an injury early into the UAE leg of the 2021 IPL. He returned back into the Delhi Capitals line-up for the Qualifier 2 clash against KKR in Sharjah. Marcus Stoinis couldn’t deliver the success of the previous edition. He played 10 IPL 2021 games, managing only 89 runs and picking 2 scalps.
Brad Hogg added: “Any player’s fitness is a concern for the team and Stoinis’ fitness is one major concern. If he can’t bowl, it is going to put a huge hole in this Australian team. I think the other big concern is who is going to bat at No.3 Steve Smith or Mitchell Marsh.”
Steve Smith has shown great adaptability on the UAE’s slow surfaces. Mitchell Marsh, on the other hand, has also performed well on slow wickets and made full use of the opportunity he availed with a promotion to No.3. Australia has lost the last 5 T20I series they have played against New Zealand, India, England, West Indies, and Bangladesh.
Notably, team Australia has never won a T20 World Cup and they will have an eye on lifting their first-ever T20 World Cup championship.