AUS v IND 2020-21: ‘We have got a few options’, Finch names players who can replace Warner in 3rd ODI

Warner has been ruled out of the limited-overs fixtures against India due to a groin strain.

Marnus Labuschagne can be promoted to open the innings | GettyOn the eve of the third ODI against India, Australia skipper Aaron Finch acknowledged that any side will become weaker in the absence of David Warner but they have quite a few options to cover the loss.

Cricket Australia (CA) on Monday (November 30) confirmed that Warner will miss the last one-day international and the three-match T20I series against India due to a groin injury, which he sustained during the second ODI.

"We have not picked a team yet, but we have got a few options. Whether we go Wadey in the side or Marnus comes up and opens the batting, Alex Carey has done a lot of it in the past," cricket.com.au quoted Finch as saying.

"But the middle-order has been functioning really well over the last little while. That is the beauty of being two-nil up in the series, you can look to experiment if you want to do that or you can look to play the safe option," he added.

Highlighting the importance of Warner in the playing XI, Finch termed the southpaw as an all-time great in white-ball cricket.

"He is an all-time great in one-day and T20 cricket. I do not think there are many better players to have played the game," Finch said.

"So any team he is not a part of is going to be slightly weaker but we have got guys that can step and really contribute heavily in that role," he further remarked.

Australia thrashed India by 51 runs in the second ODI to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

Meanwhile, Warner has been replaced in the T20I squad by D'Arcy Short.

CA has also said that speedster Pat Cummins would skip the last ODI on Wednesday (December 2) and three T20s in order to stay fresh for the marquee Test series.

No replacement has been announced for Cummins, with Australia to rely on Josh Hazelwood, Mitchell Starc and all-rounder Marcus Stoinis to provide the main seam bowling options.

 
 

By Salman Anjum - 01 Dec, 2020

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