Australia’s selectors will have a pleasant headache when it comes to selecting Aaron Finch’s opening batting partner for the first T20 against India this weekend.
Finch, Australia’s limited-overs captain and highest-ranked T20 batsman, is set to occupy one opening position but there are potentially five other players who could accompany him at the top for the tour-opener in Vizag (Monday, 12.30am AEDT).
Hobart Hurricanes tyro D’Arcy Short was this summer’s KFC BBL leading run-scorer and Player of the Tournament for blazing 637 runs at an impressive average of 53 and strike rate of 140.61.
Third on the run-scorers’ list in BBL|08 was Melbourne Stars allrounder Marcus Stoinis, who relished his promotion to opener where he dominated with 499 runs at 62.38 and four half-centuries.
While Usman Khawaja is light on T20 game-time this summer, he has excelled opening the batting in the past to point where kept Finch out of Australia’s T20 World Cup team in 2016 despite the Victorian being rated the best T20 batsman in the world.
Dynamic Stars allrounder Glenn Maxwell has an international T20 century opening the batting, a whirlwind 145no from 65 balls against Sri Lanka in 2016, while gloveman Alex Carey was Finch’s partner in the Gillette ODI Series at home against India this summer.
It’s a welcome conundrum for coach and selector Justin Langer and ultimately Finch, who as captain sets the batting order.
But whoever takes on the new ball with Finch, veteran Khawaja is confident they will succeed given the versatile squad chosen for the two-T20, five-ODI Qantas Tour of India.
“There’s a lot of good players in this team, which is awesome,” Khawaja said on Wednesday.
“It’s good to have options. A lot of guys that are in this team are quite flexible on where they can play so whatever happens moving forward I think everyone will do quite well in whatever role they have.”
Boosting Khawaja’s chances to partner Finch is his experience in India, where he’s played three T20 internationals and six Indian Premier League matches for the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiant.
The left-hander also joined Finch to begin Wednesday’s centre-wicket practice in Hyderabad, but whether that is a representation of the starting side remains to be seen.
While the prospect of playing in India used to bring fears of a spin assault from the hosts, Khawaja’s understanding of the foreign conditions suggests the turning ball might not be a huge factor as traditionally believed.
“I played in that T20 (World Cup) and the wickets were really nice,” he said.
“I found there was probably one wicket that spun a fair bit in Dharamsala, the other ones (in Mohali (twice) and Bangalore) were pretty good batting surfaces.
“You just have to adapt to whatever you get here.
“As the Australian Cricket Team, a lot of guys have had some really good performances in India in the past, so I think we can draw from that.”
Langer spoke to his charges both before and after training yesterday and Khawaja says the coach’s instruction remains the same as it has since his tenure began last year.
“JL’s message is very simple and clear most times: just try to get better every single time,” Khawaja said.
“Whether it’s training or playing games, we’re always trying to improve.
“I think everyone’s going about their individual plans trying to get better and that’s the main focus.
“If you do that consistently hopefully you start getting results further down the track.”
Qantas tour of India
First T20: February 24, Visakhapatnam
Second T20: February 27, Bengaluru
First ODI: March 2, Hyderabad
Second ODI: March 5, Nagpur
Third ODI: March 8, Ranchi
Fourth ODI: March 10, Mohali
Fifth ODI: March 13, Delhi
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