Melbourne: Opening batsman Aaron Finch will lead Australia in the absence of regular captain Steve Smith in next month’s three-match Twenty20 series against Sri Lanka, the country’s cricket board said on Tuesday.
Finch, who was Australia’s T20 captain before Smith was handed the reins in all three formats last year, will take charge of an inexperienced side shorn of players named in the squad for the four-test series in India.
Smith, David Warner, Glenn Maxwell, Usman Khawaja, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Matthew Wade are all unavailable for selection as they continue preparations for the challenging tour of the South Asian Country.
“It’s very exciting to be back and leading the side in Steve’s absence,” the 30-year-old said in a Cricket Australia statement.
“It’s been a roller-coaster from being captain leading up to the ICC World Twenty20 [in 2016], being injured and then Steve taking over the reins for that tournament but it’s something that, any time you get the chance to captain your country in any format, you’re very chuffed about.” Sri Lanka recently won a three-match T20 series 2-1 in South Africa and will face Australia in the first match in Melbourne on February 17.
New Zealand opener Martin Guptill will meanwhile miss the second One-day International against Australia because of a hamstring twinge, team officials said.
Guptill was one of the best Black Caps performers in the opening match of the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy on Monday in Auckland, scoring 61 as New Zealand posted a six-run win.
Coach Mike Hesson said Guptill had suffered a minor hamstring strain while fielding and would sit out the next match in Napier as a precaution.
“After being monitored over the last 24 hours it’s become apparent he won’t quite be ready for Napier,” Hesson said.
“He’ll remain with the team and we’ll continue to monitor him ahead of the third ODI in Hamilton.”
Northern Districts batsman Dean Brownlie, who last played for New Zealand in December 2014, has been called in as a replacement.
