Desperate Oz seek Finch blitzkrieg in must-win match
INDORE: Faced with a must-win situation in the third ODI on Sunday, Australia arrived at the ground early and immediately got down to work.
During the training session, the first notable sight was of Aaron Finch making a 100-metre dash from cover to long off.
The 30-year-old did four 100metre sprints and looked in no serious discomfort.
The Australian right-hander had missed the first two ODIs in Chennai and Kolkata due to a calf strain and Hilton Cartwright made his debut.
RACE AGAINST TIME
Following Cartwright’s twin failures, Australia will be hoping Finch gets fit for the third ODI.
Speaking at the prematch press conference, David Warner said, “He is a very good player and has played a lot of cricket for us in the past couple of years.
“He brings a lot of aggression at the top of the batting order. It was good to see him practicing hard and hopefully he will be fit for the game tomorrow (Sunday),” Warner said.
Following the intense training session, Finch undertook some batting practice at the side wickets for close to 30 minutes.
TRIAL BY SPIN
That Australia’s batsmen have been working hard to counter spin was evident. David Warner and Travis Head took alternate turns to bat but Glenn Maxwell had an extended batting session for close to an hour. The 28-year-old right hander faced a lot of deliveries from legspinner Adam Zampa and a local left-arm spinner. Another intriguing aspect of Australia’s session was Peter Handscomb practicing with wicketkeeper gloves on, hinting that he might be included at the expense of Matthew Wade, who has struggled with form.