Prior to the opening match of the three-match home T20I series against the visitors India, the Australian limited-overs captain Aaron Finch claimed that the T20I series is the best opportunity for them to challenge the in-form Indian cricket team.
The three-match T20I series is going to begin on Wednesday (November 21) which will be played at The Gabba (Brisbane). Though Australia’s recent T20I record is not so impressive too as they have lost all of their last four T20Is, Finch is confident on their aggressive cricket.
Finch addressed the media on Tuesday, “Although we lost to Pakistan in the UAE, we are a very good T20 side. I think we played some good cricket in Zimbabwe and before that in the tri-series against New Zealand and England last year. We are very confident in this format.
“India have been in great form in all formats over a long time now. But it is going to be a great opportunity for us to come out, play aggressively and express ourselves. We can take the game on and really try to take it to India.”
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Finch further added that one brilliant performance can change the whole perception of the match or series and that’s why it is a good advantage for struggling Australia to start the tour against the in-form India with the T20I format.
The Aussie limited-overs captain said, “T20s are fast-paced short games obviously. At times it can take one bit of brilliance with bat or ball, or even in the field, and it can change the dynamics of the match or even the whole series. So it is a great advantage to be able to start off against India in this format. They have been so dominant in this format that people forget where they are playing at times.”
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In their last T20I match, which was against South Africa on last Saturday (November 17) at Carrara that was won by South Africa in the rain-interrupted 10-overs match, Australia fielded without any regular spinner. However, talking about the playing XI for the first T20I, Finch has hinted to may add one spinner in the playing XI.
Finch said on that, “That will be in the calculations. With the size of this ground and how good our spinners have bowled here, while they haven’t been huge wicket-takers, they have bowled well. We have options in Ashton Agar and Adam Zampa.
“Traditionally, there is pace and bounce in this wicket. Indian batsmen have been here before, so there isn’t an element of surprise with the amount of cricket being played nowadays. But we will still look to use it to our advantage. The boundaries are bigger here than in India, and it could alter strategies.
“You cannot hit as many sixes to influence the game as soon as you come to the crease, and you might have to steal doubles instead. I think the team that deals with it the better will win this series.”
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As Cricket Australia (CA) decided to not reduce the ban of Steven Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft – the trio who were involved in the ball-tampering scandal during the Cape Town Test in this March – the Australian cricket team will have to play this entire home summer without Smith and Warner. Meanwhile, Bancroft’s nine-month suspension term is going to end very soon.
Finch said on the latest CA decision, “It would have been great to see the guys playing some domestic cricket at the backend of this summer, but we have to respect Cricket Australia’s decision and for the ban to stand. We have to move on (to the series at hand).”
Finch added that they will remain tough and aggressive on the field but not in a verbal way.
The Aussie limited-overs captain said, “We’re still intense and desperate to win and we are going about that the right way. Playing hard is the Australian way but to different people that means different things. It’s not all about verbal and things like that.
“You talk about being tough and aggressive, and that means verbal, but I don’t see it as that. It’s about your body language and presence on the ground. That’s what Australia always prides itself on in all sport. That’s presence, that’s fierceness and tough cricket.”
Before their departure for Australia, the Indian skipper Virat Kohli claimed that they will not involve in the verbal spat.
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When Finch asked about this, he replied, “Virat plays the game that gets the best out of himself, and I think that at times, for him that’s about being verbal for his team, and pumping them up and being right in the contest. He loves that.
“He plays the same way for everyone, whether for India or in the IPL. So, the verbal won’t change whatsoever I think what he was referring to was his aggression, but ‘verbal’ is encouragement for teammates. It’s not abuse or anything like that.”
