Aaron Finch determined to find red ball form before first Test against India

Despite his non-stop workload, Aaron Finch is set to pull on the whites for Victoria next week instead of taking a rest, in a determined bid to find form before his first Test match on home soil.

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Aaron Finch is set to throw himself back into red ball cricket 36 hours after Australia’s final Twenty20 in a determined bid to find form before his first Test match on home soil.

The limited overs captain and Test opener is now Australia’s only all-format cricketer but despite the non-stop workload he has shouldered since late September, he will almost certainly pull on the whites for Victoria at the Gabba next week instead of taking a rest.

Finch has not opened the batting for his State for several seasons, but Victoria would be under enormous pressure to bow to national interests and give Justin Langer’s top order linchpin the chance to open against the red ball.

Finch wants to play himself into form. (Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

It’s now possible Victoria could have two openers playing the first Test against India on December 6 after Marcus Harris made a match-defining 67 on Tuesday to sink Tasmania at Bellerive Oval.

Harris averages 35.55 from 67 first-class matches, but has entered the selection frame because he’s one of only three domestic cricketers to have compiled 400 plus runs this Shield season — and at an average of 87.40.

The 26-year-old says he’s repaired a frosty relationship with Langer after leaving Western Australia in acrimonious circumstances a couple of seasons back and could take advantage of selection favourite Matthew Renshaw’s recent form stumbles.

Marcus Harris put himself in the shop window. (AAP Image/Hamish Blair)

Peter Handscomb didn’t do his bid for a Test return any favours as he missed out on a score against Tasmania.

It’s understood Finch will open the batting for Australia against India despite earlier thoughts that he might be best served down the order in home conditions where he has previously struggled with the swinging red ball.

Finch has worked hard at tightening up his technique to the point where he feels it might have impacted his form against the white ball where he has had an uncharacteristically lean run where he hasn’t scored a 50 in his past eight matches.

Australia desperately needs the Finch back who was in form and focus before his Test debut against Pakistan in October where he impressed like a player who had worn the baggy green for years.

Selectors are set to meet and announce their first Test squad this week, with Usman Khawaja on track to return from his knee injury — and face bowling in the nets today for the first time.

Test great Steve Waugh said at the launch of Fox Cricket’s documentary 2 Nations 1 Obsession which premiered on Monday night, that Australia’s batsmen didn’t need to move mountains to set up a series victory over India.

“I think Australia might surprise actually. India are talking up a pretty good game but they’re coming off a pretty disappointing series in England. Their away form is pretty ordinary over the past five-10 years,” said Waugh.

Finch and Virat Kohli ahead of the international T20 series at the Gabba. (AAP Image/Darren England)

“They do have a very good side. They’ll this as their best opportunity to win in Australia for a very long time. Kohli is a great leader, a great batsman. If he leads the way and a couple of others follow him in and score runs they’re a chance.

“But I think for Australia if we can score 350 runs in a first innings we’ll win because our bowlers are world class particularly in our conditions. We’ll take 20 wickets, as long as we can score runs.

“If we can score 350 in the first innings I think we’ll win the series.”

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