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ICC World T20 2016: Steven Smith to lead Australia; Aaron Finch gets sacked

Aaron Finch, who has been nursing a hamstring injury, was axed as captain just a day before the announcement of the squad for the tournament.

 Steven Smith will take over from Aaron Finch as Australia's T20 skipper .© Getty Images (File Photo)
Steven Smith will take over from Aaron Finch as Australia’s T20 skipper © Getty Images (File Photo)

Australia’s Test and One-Day International skipper Steven Smith has been chosen to lead the side in the upcoming ICC World Twenty20 (T20) in India. Aaron Finch, who has been nursing a hamstring injury, was axed as captain just a day before the announcement of the squad for the tournament. Finch was Australia’s T20 captain for 17 long months, as selectors will release more details when they announce the 15-member squad. Smith has made a smooth transition to the top job after succeeding Michael Clarke as Test and ODI skipper last year after the Ashes and ICC World Cup 2015. Finch missed out the final T20I against India due to an injury, as he had already conceded the series. LIVE SCORECARD: New Zealand vs Australia 2015-16, 3rd ODI at Hamilton

Finch is currently training at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in a bid to recover from injury and be fit for the T20 against South Africa in early March, as reported by The Sydney Morning Herald. Cricket Australia (CA) has refused to comment on anything as of now until the official announcement. Finch was also reportedly to be removed from the ODI side for the final game versus India, but his century in the fourth match saved his place with Glenn Maxwell being already injured.

During the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2016 auction last weekend, Finch was sold to the Gujarat Lions (GL) in the IPL 9 auction, which was organised in Bengaluru on Saturday. Finch has been in sensational form of late in international cricket with the bat, as he possesses the ability to get off to a blistering start, and it makes him an ideal player for the T20 format, as it has led to him fetch Rs. 1 crore from GL.

 

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