Legendary all-rounder Shane Watson has expressed concerns regarding Australian skipper Aaron Finch’s form as Australia prepares to defend their T20 World Cup at home later this year.
Finch marched Australia to their maiden T20 World title last year in the UAE. However, the opener has been going through a lean path for a long while now.
The 35-year-old opener has averaged 26 at a lowly strike rate of 119 since the start of 2021. In this period, wherein he batted in 23 T20I innings for Australia, Finch registered only four fifties, and only one in the last 13 matches.
It was Finch’s disappointing show in the IPL 2022 that has left Watson really worried. Roped in as Alex Hales‘ replacement by the Kolkata Knight Riders, Finch managed only 86 runs in 5 matches at an average of 17.20, including three single-digit scores.
Watson asserted that though Finch is “one of the greatest short-form batters”, his current dismal form doesn’t ooze confidence.
“What I saw of him during the IPL in particular for KKR wasn’t great and it didn’t fill me with a lot of confidence. But there’s a lot of cricket leading up to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup and I know he will be working through it as much as he can and, for Australia’s sake, I really hope he can sort that out,” Shane Watson said in the recent episode of The ICC Review.
“But at the moment it is pretty glaring. He has got the skills and he is one of the greatest short-form batters that has played for Australia, so he can definitely turn it around, but what I saw didn’t fill me with a lot of confidence.”
Shane Watson pointed out that Finch has got the complete backing of selector George Bailey and coach Andrew McDonald, and that it’s too late for a change in captaincy and opening slot
“The hierarchy of Australian cricket (national selector) George Bailey and (coach) Andrew McDonald are saying that Aaron Finch is going to be the captain for the T20 World Cup, so I would be surprised if they changed that. Everyone I talk to about his captaincy says they enjoy everything that Aaron Finch does on the field … he has obviously been doing a lot right.
