Finch faces tough fight back into XI

Aaron Finch is regarded as the best Twenty20 batsman in the world according to the ICC's rankings but he may struggle to get a game in the World T20.

Aaron Finch could go the whole World Twenty20 without having a hit for Australia.

Finch tops the International Cricket Council's T20 batting rankings, boasts the highest-ever score in the format and skippered the national side in six T20 games.

But having handed over the captaincy to Steve Smith last month, Finch now finds himself a victim of the rise and rise of Usman Khawaja.

Khawaja was preferred at the top of the order in Australia's World T20 opener and top-scored with 38 in the loss to New Zealand.

Shane Watson scored 13 but was arguably the side's best bowler in Dharamsala.

Coach Darren Lehmann insists nothing is set in stone but it's hard to see how Finch will return to the XI, certainly for the side's must-win match that starts at 1am AEDT on Tuesday.

"He (Khawaja) played beautifully but it depends. We've got Bangladesh in Bangalore, so we'll work out what the best option is for that game and play it from there," Lehmann said.

"Very tough (to leave Finch out of the XI). Aaron has played very well in T20 cricket. We just wanted the left, right-hander (opening combination).

"That could change for next game.

"Everyone says you've got to be settled and all those things but at the end of the day you've just got to pick the best side for the conditions."

Lehmann noted he and on-duty selector Mark Waugh only made the decision when they arrived at the ground for last Friday's trans-Tasman clash.

The Victorian, who has scored 40, two and 33 since returning from a hamstring strain, couldn't have handled the news any better according to Lehmann.

"He has been fantastic. He has been unbelievable," Lehmann said.

"He's been brilliant. Can't speak highly enough of him."

Khawaja was Australia's best batsmen in Dharamsala but he earned the ire of Lehmann for contributing to a match-turning collapse of 4-22.

The 29-year-old was run out attempting a second run that was never there.

"He's just got to get better at running between the wickets, all the little things we didn't do well enough," Lehmann said.

"It's not unfortunate, he can say no."

Lehmann and Waugh's other big call in the game against New Zealand was to promote left-arm tweaker Ashton Agar at the expense of allrounder John Hastings.

Agar was asked to bowl the third over of the match, during which Black Caps opener Martin Guptill belted three sixes.

It was Agar's only over of the game.

"He's a bit down but everyone is a bit down," Lehmann said.

"He's just a kid, trying to find his way and he got it slightly wrong in the first few balls."


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Source: AAP

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