Desperate Australia seeks Aaron Finch for must-win ODI in Indore

New Delhi: Team Australia is two down, already in the series. One more and the series will wrap up in favour of the formidable Indian team. Ahead of them lies the third ODI match, a must-win game, slated to be played at Holkar Stadium, Indore and all they now hope is the return of Aaron Finch so that the opener can give them the initial momentum into their innings.

Steve Smith-led Australia lost both the ODI matches. In Chennai, they were crumbled down by 26 runs in a rain-truncated encounter and the in Kolkata, the wrist-spin duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and hat-trick lad Kuldeep Yadav cast their magic once again to demolish the tourists by 50 runs.

Finch missed both the matches owing to a calf injury he had incurred while playing for Surrey in August. He was still recovering from the pain when the team from Down Under had arrived early September for the limited-over series. Hilton Cartwrightb was called forth to replace the opener, but the debutant failed to shine in both the matches with score of just one each.

And on Saturday, the Victorian joined his teammates for the practice session under the watchful eyes of physio Alex Kountouris. A bit of catch practice, a bit with the willow and also a bit of sprinting as Kountouris monitored Finch's fitness and whether he could help out his tyeam in the must-win encounter in Indore and it indeed must have added a ample amount of relief to Smith.

"It's good signs to see him back in the nets and he's doing everything possible to be fit for this game," his opening partner David Warner said at a pre-match presser.

"We know what he's going to bring. He's a very good batter, he's played a lot of cricket over the past couple of years, he's got a lot of experience and for us at the top of the order, he brings a lot of aggression."

The final call will be taken tomorrow. The physio will check his fitness once again on Sunday before announcing the playing XI for the third ODI. Not to forget, Peter Handscomb too is in line to make an appearance in Indore. Well, for the later, he might replace Mathew Wade, who seems to be struggling with the bat for quite sometime now.

"It is challenging for a young guy to take the bull by the horns. It is very difficult when you play on the world stage against the best ODI teams, it can get overwhelming," Warner said.

"He brings a lot of energy. He is a workaholic and brings in a lot of knowledge to the game," he concluded.