AUS v IND 2018-19: Aaron Finch shares his finger injury update ahead of the Boxing Day Test

Finch copped a brutal hit on his right index finger by a rising Mohammad Shami delivery during Australia's second innings at Perth.

Aaron Finch leaves the ground after being struck on the finger in Perth | Getty

Australia opener Aaron Finch has more or less confirmed his availability for the Boxing Day Test against India at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground. With the series being levelled at 1-1, the third Test will start from December 26.

Finch copped a brutal hit on his right index finger by a rising Mohammad Shami delivery during Australia's second innings at Perth. The injury was so severe that Finch had to retire hurt in the final session on Day 3 before he eventually came out to bat on Day 4.

"It's a finger that I've broken before in Sri Lanka a few years ago. To have it hit three times pretty solid in a month, it just keeps blowing up. But it'll be no problem for the game," Finch quoted as saying by cricket.com.au.

Australia have named an unchanged 13-man squad for the remaining two Tests in Melbourne and Sydney. The last year's Boxing Day Test in the Ashes saw a dull draw with the pitch being rated as poor. However, Finch expects a bit of change in the surface this year.

"I assume there'll be a little bit more grass on it," Finch asserted. "I haven't played a Shield game there but the boys said there has been a little bit more grass on it and it's seamed around a little bit but it's still been on the slower side.

"I don't expect that to change a hell of a lot. They're still the same drop-ins from the last 10 or 12 years ... I'm sure they're trying a different method though," he concluded.

Australia squad: Tim Paine(c), Aaron Finch, Marcus Harris, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Peter Handscomb, Travis Head, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Marsh, Peter Siddle

India squad: Virat Kohli(c), Murali Vijay, Lokesh Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, Parthiv Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Hardik Pandya, Mayank Agarwal

 
 

By Salman Anjum - 20 Dec, 2018

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