Colombo, Oct 5: Former Australia captain Aaron Finch believes the upcoming ODI series between India and Australia will be a thrilling contest, but predicts that the hosts will narrowly prevail 2-1 despite the visitors’ strong lineup under new skipper Shubman Gill.
India on Saturday announced a full-strength 15-member squad for the three-match ODI series beginning in Perth on October 19, with Gill set to lead the 50-over side for the first time after replacing Rohit Sharma as captain. Rohit and Virat Kohli, both seasoned campaigners, return to the squad to bolster India’s batting unit, with Kohli likely to feature in his first international appearance since the ICC Champions Trophy earlier this year.Speaking to ICC Digital from Colombo, where he is part of the commentary team for the ICC Women’s World Cup, Finch said he expects a fiercely competitive series between two evenly matched sides. “It will be a great series, it always is against India. Having Virat back brings out the best in him when he plays Australia,” Finch said. “On paper, both teams look strong, but I’d say Australia to win 2-1 — not confidently, though, because India are a great side and it’ll be a wonderful series to watch.”
The 37-year-old, who famously led Australia to their 2015 World Cup triumph on home soil, also praised Shubman Gill’s leadership qualities and said the presence of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will be a huge advantage for the young captain. “Shubman has already shown what a good leader he is in T20 and Test cricket, so I’m sure this will be no different,” Finch remarked. “He’s a brilliant player, particularly in white-ball formats, and the way he handled himself during the England Test series showed great maturity.” (Agencies)
