Australia to fly Peter Handscomb into India as cover for injured Aaron Finch

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  • Peter Handscomb is expected to fly in on Saturday.

    Australia have added Peter Handscomb to the squad for the India limited-overs series as a cover for the injured opener Aaron Finch.

    It has been reported that Finch had aggravated a calf-injury during the team’s nets sessions in Chennai on Thursday. A scan later revealed that the opener will need to sit-out the initial matches of the five-match ODI series starting in Chennai on Sunday.

    Cricket Australia have decided to let Finch remain with the squad in India as they continue to assess his injury. It was initially feared that the 30-year-old right-hander would be ruled out of the entire series but the team management now believe Finch could become available to play after the first three matches.

    • ALSO READ: Shikhar Dhawan to miss first three ODIs against Australia

    “Aaron re-aggravated his pre-existing calf injury during warm-up at training yesterday,” Bupa Support Team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au.

    “He has had a scan in Chennai and although we believe it is not a serious recurrence, he will not be available for the first few one-day matches here in India.

    “He will remain with the squad whilst we assess the injury and establish his return to play timelines.”

    Finch will likely miss the first three ODIs.

    Finch will likely miss the first three ODIs.

    Nevertheless, Handscomb will fly into Chennai on Saturday from Melbourne to join up with the squad as cover and shall be available for selection for Sunday’s game.

    Handscomb was a part of the Aussie squad for the recently concluded tour to Pakistan and had returned home to Melbourne following the conclusion of the two-match Test series.

    The 26-year-old batsman has already had a taste of the conditions in India earlier this year when Steve Smith’s men had come over for a fiercely contested four-match Test series which saw the hosts edging the visitors 2-1.

    The Victorian had played a match-saving unbeaten 72 in the final innings of the Ranchi Test where the Aussies had held on for a draw on the final day.

    Handscomb hasn’t had the best of times in the 50-over format so far having played only four innings in the five matches he has played.

    Handscomb scored only seven runs in his two innings against New Zealand.

    Handscomb scored only seven runs in his two innings against New Zealand.

    After announcing himself with a well made 82 against Pakistan on his ODI debut against Pakistan earlier this January, the right-handed batsman has struggled in the innings to follow since then with only eight runs in three matches.

    His last 50-over appearance came against New Zealand in the Chappell-Hadlee series in February this year where he failed to even open his account.

    It will be interesting to see whether Australia go in with Handscomb to partner David Warner at the top or persist with uncapped all-rounder Hilton Cartwright who opened the innings during the visitor’s only warm-up game against the Board President’s XI.

    Cartwright was dismissed for a duck in the game which the Aussies won by a 103 runs.

    Meanwhile, it seems opening woes are not limited to just the visitors with India’s Shikhar Dhawan on Thursday ruling himself out for the first three ODI games due to personal reasons.

    The two sides go head-to head in the first game at the M.A. Chidambaram stadium in Chennai on Sunday.

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