Ricky Ponting backs limited-over specialist Aaron Finch as Test opener against Pakistan

Australia are yet to find replacements for their twin stars – Steve Smith and David Warner – who have faced a year-long ban earlier this year. And since every crisis is also an opportunity, a lot of names are doing the rounds as the duo’s worthy replacements. One of them is Aaron Finch and the limited-overs specialist batsman has found backing as a Test opener from none other than the former Australian great Ricky Ponting.

Australia are set to play Pakistan in a couple of Tests in the UAE next month and Ponting believes Finch is a suitable candidate to chip in as an opener in the series. Finch has been picked in the 15-member Australian Test squad led by Tim Paine though he hasn’t played Test cricket in seven years since making an international debut.

Finch in good form in other formats

“Although his (Finch’s) red-ball numbers aren’t outstanding, he has been in real good form in other formats of the game all around the world for the last few years. The conditions in that part of the world in the UAE, I don’t think the new ball should do too much. It will probably be more like starting an innings against the white ball, which Finchy is very very good at,” Ponting, the second highest scorer in Tests after Sachin Tendulkar, was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au.

Finch, 31, has scored almost 5,000 international runs since making his debut in 2011 but all of them have come in 93 ODIs and 42 T20Is. In July, the right-handed batsman slammed 172 in a T20I against Zimbabwe which is the highest individual score in the format (the previous best of 156 also belongs to him). The Victorian batsman has 13 centuries in his career so far, with 11 of them coming in the 50-over format.

The first Test of the series will begin in Dubai on October 7 while the second and final Test will be held in Abu Dhabi from October 16.

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