Darren Lehmann backs Finch-Warner to open in Champions Trophy ahead of Chris Lynn

Team Australia will be itching to get their hands on the Champions Trophy 2017. They have been a juggernaut side in the ICC events but have not been up to their standards when it comes to the Champions Trophy. This time around, the team head coach Darren Lehmann is optimistic about the chances of his team in the tournament. Australia is bound to have selection conundrums in their 15-man squad that looks absolutely star-studded.

One of the key positions to decide on would be the opening slot. They have been opening with David Warner and Aaron Finch in the recent times. However, the way Chris Lynn has performed in the Indian Premier League at the opening slot for Kolkata Knight Riders has served a good case for him as well. Also, Finch batted in the middle order for the Gujarat Lions in the IPL this season.

Despite this, coach Darren Lehmann said that Lynn is not likely to be in the opening spot. He called Lynn as the ‘excitement machine’ but had his reservations over the inclusion of the hard hitter in the playing eleven. He further noted that the conditions in England would demand experience at the top order and hence Warner and Finch would be the ideal ones going into the frame of things.

“First he’s got to get selected in the XI and then the captain will tell him where he’s going to bat. We’ve had discussions – I mean he’s an excitement machine, so we hope he pulls up well with his injuries and plays some cricket for us,” quoted Darren Lehmann.

“So you don’t want Warner to open? (Or) you don’t want Finch to open? We’ll sum up what we think the best XI is and then work out a batting order from there. The advantage is with England we know the wickets might do a little bit early, so we’ll have to work out what our best line-up is (with that in mind),” he added further.

On the pay scuffle

In the recent times, the Australian cricketers have been at the loggerheads with Cricket Australia over the payment issues. They looked disappointed at the way Cricket Australia Chief Executive James Sutherland threatened the players to accept the contracts recently. Darren Lehmann believes that the issue will be a bit of distraction for the players. However, they will be keen on focusing more on the on-field issues than the off-field worries.

“It is going to be a bit of a distraction, there’s no doubt about that. But we just have to concentrate on cricket; we’re there to do a job and play as well as we possibly can. We’ll talk about it when we all meet, you have to do that. You’ve got to keep it open with communication, so we know what direction everyone is going,” he said.

“But at the end of the day it’s about getting ready for that first game, and playing well. Because over the next three years we go to England for a one-day series (2018) and then the World Cup before the Ashes (2019), so it’s a pretty important tournament for us in many ways,” Lehmann conceded.