Despite the dominance in the opening game held in Mumbai, the Australian team was clobbered by India in the recently concluded three-match One-Day International (ODI) series. The hosts bounced back in the Rajkot and Bengaluru ODIs to defeat the visitors 2-1.
After the end of the final contest, the Aussie skipper Aaron Finch revealed in the press conference that they lacked set batsmen in the death overs. This raised questions as to why the tourists didn’t add power-hitters like Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis in their ODI squad, who are in supreme touch in the ongoing Big Bash League (BBL).
Finch, however, feels that Maxwell doesn’t have a place in the current squad, and he disclosed it while speaking to journalists.
“Outside the top seven at the moment,” Finch said when asked about Maxwell after Australia’s 1-2 series defeat.
“It’s about form, picking players for the right role. I think it’s just going to come down to whichever way you want to match up, specific roles for specific players,” added Finch.
The Indian captain Virat Kohli was also surprised at Maxwell’s absence.
“Honestly, I did not look at the (squad), and I asked Aaron that have you got only 14… and asked ‘Is Maxwell here?’ and they said he is playing the BBL,” said Kohli.
“I was a bit surprised that he wasn’t here, especially the way he performed last time in the T20 series. He got a hundred in the last game, and they won the series. So, surprised not to see him because he brings the spinning option as well,” added Kohli.
Australia will now tour to South Africa, where they will play three T20Is and as many ODIs. The first T20I game will take place on February 21 at The Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg.
