Finch demoted as Oz name WT20 squad
Australia have axed T20 skipper Aaron Finch in favour of Test and ODI leader Steve Smith, who now has control of all formats, as they named their squad for the World Twenty20 in India in March.
Finch is still in the squad, but has been stripped of his captaincy duties in favour of Smith, while David Warner adds the T20 vice-captaincy to the Test role he already holds.
The squad itself is an interesting one, with veteran all-rounder Shane Watson named. as well as Mitchell Marsh and James Faulkner. Glenn Maxwell is the spinning all-rounder, while Ashton Agar and Adam Zampa have been named too.
Star batsman Usman Khawaja is there, but Shaun Marsh is not, and the bit surprise is that the wicketkeeping role has gone to Test keeper Peter Nevill, and not Matthew Wade. Nevill is the superior keeper, which will be vital on tricky Indian decks.
As for pace, veteran John Hastings, young Nathan Coulter-Nile, and Josh Hazlewood are the experienced names, while Andrew Tye is the rookie. Missing are Shaun Tait, Scott Boland, and Kane Richardson.
Selector Rod Marsh said of the selections, starting with Smith's captaincy take-over: "Aaron Finch has done a very good job captaining Australia in T20 cricket.
"He will have benefited enormously from the leadership opportunity and will remain a highly-respected leader within the Australian squad.
"However since he became T20 captain, there has been a broader leadership transition in Test and one-day international cricket with Michael Clarke retiring and Steve Smith assuming the captaincy in Test and one-day cricket.
"We think now is the right time for Steve to lead Australia in all three forms of the game as it offers us important continuity, not only ahead of the World T20, but beyond that tournament as well."
He added of Nevill in for Wade: "We feel our batting depth in this squad is sufficient enough that we can have a specialist wicket-keeper in the squad.
"We want Australia’s best wicketkeeper playing in this tournament and we consider Peter Nevill to be the best in the country right now."
Squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Ashton Agar, Nathan Coulter-Nile, James Faulkner, Aaron Finch, John Hastings, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Peter Nevill, Andrew Tye, Shane Watson, Adam Zampa
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