Should Smith replace out-of-form Finch?

FORMER Australian all-rounder Simon O’Donnell isn’t sure if Aaron Finch deserves to hold his spot in the Aussie T20 World Cup XI.

Finch entered the tournament in average form and has yet to hit his straps with scores of 13 off 11 and 31 off 42.

While his form may not warrant guaranteed selection, one thing that’s keeping him in the side is his status as captain.

Despite his position, O’Donnell thinks it’s going to be hard for Finch to keep his spot if his form doesn’t improve.

“Very few times you feel a little bit sorry for someone on an elite sporting field, but I felt a little bit sorry for him the other day,” O’Donnell said on SENQ’s Pat and Heals.

“He’s just way out of whack… he was just trying to face some cricket balls the other night, he got 18.2 overs out there, whether that helps him turn it around and give him that feel, I’m not sure.

“In this form of the game when it’s so helter-skelter, it’s going to be hard for him.

“It’s not that he’s not trying, he’s just a millisecond out with picking up his line and length which is all you need with your timing and everything to be out the window.”

If Finch is to lose his place Australia will need to find someone to lead the side, and O’Donnell believes Steve Smith can both replace him in the XI and as skipper.

“You’ve got a pretty good one sitting there in Steve Smith,” O’Donnell said.

“I think we need him, I call it a ‘whacking order’, we’re all whackers the order at the minute.

“It’s like the Kiwis, they have their skipper that just comes in and [Kane] Williamson can be the steadier.

“Sometimes it is good to get twos and threes and not having to hit fours and sixes all of the time.

“I think our side is better with Smith in it, I’m one of the few that gives that vote because he doesn’t even look like getting a game at the minute.”

Australia’s final group game in the T20 World Cup comes against Afghanistan Friday, 4 November at the Adelaide Oval.

-LACHLAN GELEIT/ SEN