PTI
PERTH
Looking to exploit the fast and bouncy conditions at the WACA, Australian opener Aaron Finch on Sunday said his team would look to corner the Indians early on in the opening cricket ODI on January 12.
India last played an ODI at the WACA against Australia in 2004 and even though the wicket has changed since, Finch believes the hosts can still put the visitors in a spot of bother.
"The Perth wicket has changed over the last few years. I don't think that there is same amount of carry that used to be. But there is extra bounce and that's something that they will have to adjust to and we can start to exploit that straightaway in the very first game of the series.
"But I think their young players, who have come at the back of the seniors, like Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli are pretty well-rounded players. I am sure they will adapt but if we can exploit that first hour I think that can go a long way to winning a match," Finch told reporters after a net session here.
Having beaten India in the semi-finals en route to their fifth 50-over World Cup triumph, Australia go into the five-match series as favourites and Finch said it feels good to be in that position.
"When you have that tag, that means you have played good cricket. It means you are favourites or there is excitement around your team because you have played so well in the past and I think that is something for which we can hold our head high.
"We had a great World Cup, we had a great couple of years leading into it. So, I think we deserve that tag and there is no reason why there shouldn't be a big build-up and such excitement around our team," he said.
Finch, who has a decent average of 38.06 in 52 ODIs, is confident of himself and the Australian team. "I think I have played quite well. In my technique, I have adjusted to a couple of things lately that have me free up my game a little bit. I am confident going into this series. As a team, we have played great cricket in Australia, so everyone is confident and everyone is feeling good about the games," he said.
Not too bothered about switching gears from T20, part of the Melbourne Renegades side in Big Bash League, Finch is just focusing on playing good cricket. "Any cricket at high level, Test cricket Big Bash cricket, domestic cricket, I think you are up to speed with the game in many ways, so that's not a huge change to me. But at the same time, the principles of the game remain the same. Still trying to give a smack at the top of the innings with Dave Warner, personally and that's great fun," said the 29-year-old batsman.
He also brushed aside talks of the one-day game losing its sheen. "Well I think the World Cup that went on here proved that the game is in great hands. The amount of crowd that showed up for the World Cup was phenomenal. The support that all the teams around the world had, people travelling from all around the world to watch a one-day tournament, I think was pretty special. So I think ODI cricket is still going unbelievably strong," he opines.
