Ind vs Aus 2020: Andrew McDonald backs Aaron Finch to come good against India
Former Australian all-rounder and current assistant coach Andrew McDonald is fully confident that Australian white-ball skipper Aaron Finch will be able to get back to his best against India. Finch had an underwhelming IPL 2020 season, where he could score only 268 runs at an average of just 22.3 from 12 innings for the Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Although Finch struggled throughout IPL 2020, McDonald is of the opinion that he has got his game back under control. He revealed that the Australian skipper is working on his technique and mostly on the mental side of things. Thus he expects him to be fully focused on doing well in the limited-overs leg against India.
“Aaron didn’t have the IPL he would have liked. He definitely struggled a little bit during the IPL and I think he’s got his game back under control. He probably wasn’t hitting the ball as well as what he would have liked and there’s some certain things he always works on and comes back to when he goes through those patches ... little technical and mindset things," Andrew McDonald was quoted as saying by The West Australian.
Short ball plan against Steve Smith hasn't necessarily worked to its full effect: Andrew McDonald
Although Steve Smith is arguably one of the best batsmen in the current Australian batting line-up across all three formats, he has had a weakness which has been exposed by the likes of Jofra Archer and Neil Wagner, and that is the short ball. Thus, it is becoming a trend from the opposition bowlers to try and trouble Smith with the short ball.
However, Andrew McDonald believes that Smith has been working on countering the short ball and has done well against it. With the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami likely to test Smith with the short ball, McDonald is confident that the star batsman will be able to tackle it comfortably.
“He’s working on it as he normally would. There doesn’t seem to be any deficiencies there. It’s going to be a tactic; a lot of bowling units will use against our top-line batters, especially with four men out in one-day cricket. They’ve used that tactic before and he’s done well on it before. I’m suggesting that plan hasn’t necessarily worked to its full effect,” Andrew McDonald said.
India are set to tour Australia for three ODIs, followed by three T20Is and the all-important four Tests. The tour will begin with the ODI series and the first ODI will be played on November 27 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.