The worrying numbers behind Australian captain Aaron Finch’s white-ball demise
Since his Test debut, Australia’s white ball captain has been a leader in the field only — which is ironic given it was outrageous limited overs form that earned him a baggy green.
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It seems the Test series against India can’t come quick enough for Aaron Finch.
Or is December 6, day one in Adelaide, maybe a little too soon.
Since his Test debut in the United Arab Emirates, Australia’s white ball captain has been a leader in the field only, which is ironic given it was outrageous limited overs form that earned him a baggy green.
Runs wearing coloured clothes have disappeared. The numbers paint the picture.
In white ball cricket for his country in 2018, one day games and T20 internationals, Finch plundered 900 runs at an average of 69 before his Test call up.
There were four centuries in that run haul. He also broke his own T20 world record when he smashed 172 against Zimbabwe.
Finch also smashed another two hundreds playing T20 cricket for Surrey in England, scoring 589 runs at a ridiculous average of 147 in that competition.
It was more than enough for Australian selectors to tap him on the shoulder, and in his first four Test innings against Pakistan he looked like a cricketer completely in control of his domain.
Since those two Tests however, sent back to where it all started in white ball cricket, he’s looked lost.
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Again we go to the numbers.
In 10 innings, first T20, then ODIs, and now back to the 20 over game, he has scored 96 runs. Total. No hundreds, not even a 50. His highest score has been 41.
Should it be troubling that first against South Africa and now India he has faced Test strength bowling?
The Proteas served up Kagiso Rababa, the second ranked bowler in the world, and Dale Steyn, who has a lazy 421 Test wickets.
Finch got 57 runs in three innings against them.
In the opening T20 clash against India in Brisbane, Finch got 27 runs, but was dropped before he had 10.
He was out to spinner Kuldeep Yadav. Finch should expect to see a bit of him when the Test series begins.
Then at the MCG in game two, a home outing as captain, Finch was out for a first ball duck, lashing at a wide, moving delivery from Jasprit Bumrah.
Bumrah has only played six tests for his country but has 28 wickets. He’s a quality Test bowler.
Bumrah will be opening the bowling in Adelaide, with a shiny new red Kookaburra, a ball Finch hasn’t seen for some time.
The summer schedule, and Finch’s new three-form status for his country, has potentially conspired against him.
He said recently that having to make the adjustment for the first time, going from Test cricket to the shorter forms, was harder than he thought.
“I think in the UAE, my technique tightened up. The technique changes have hurt me a little in the one-dayers recently — I’m not as free,” he said.
He’s not free as a batsman for Victoria either. He’ll return to his Sheffield Shield team, after the final T20, for his only red ball hit out before the Test series begins.
Victorian coach Andrew McDonald said Finch would bat in the middle order for the Vics, like he always has, despite the fact he’s now a Test opener.
That could change, with a nudge from national coach Justin Langer.
But even if it doesn’t, Finch just needs time in the middle, to re-adjust to that red ball, and rediscover the form that has deserted him.
His Test career could depend on it.
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Originally published as The worrying numbers behind Australian captain Aaron Finch’s white-ball demise
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