New Delhi: Cricket Australia on Tuesday named opening batsman Aaron Finch as the new skipper of the team for upcoming three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka.
The decision was made after Matthew Wade, who was named Australia’s stand-in skipper post an ankle injury to Steve Smith, was ruled out of Chappell-Hadlee Trophy match in Auckland with back spasms.
Finch was also named the ODI skipper for the first ODI against New Zealand after Wade’s injury. Australia lost the match by six runs despite a brilliant 146-run knock by Marcus Stoinis.
“Matthew injured his back at the end of Sunday’s training session and, with the short turnaround between then and the start of this match, he was not fit enough for today as, when we checked him out this morning, he was unable to perform at the appropriate level,” said Cricket Australia Chief Medical Officer Doctor John Orchard.
“We will make a decision on his availability for Thursday’s match in Napier in due course but at this stage our expectation is that this is a short-term injury.”
Wade, who recently hit his maiden ODI hundred, was named Australia’s captain late last week in the wake of an ankle injury to full-time skipper Steve Smith in the last VB Series ODI against Pakistan in Adelaide last Thursday.
Vice-captain David Warner, who captained Australia in Smith’s absence in Sri Lanka last winter, has been rested for the tour to New Zealand.
The second ODI match between Australia and New Zealand is scheduled to be played at McLean Park in Napier on February 2.
Source: Zee News