David Warner, one of the most impactful batsmen at the top of the order, has been asked to bat at No. 4 for Australia in the shortest format of the game. This is probably one of the primary reasons Australia has had a torrid time in T20 cricket in recent times.
Aaron Finch, who was at the top of the ICC ranking in T20 cricket until Virat Kohli replaced him recently, has been sitting in the dugout, watching games. He is one of the best attacking batsmen Australia have at the moment, and not using him has hurt Steve Smith and Co.
It is not as if Usman Khawaja and Shane Watson have been awful for Australia at the top of the order. They have actually helped Australia to decent starts, but critics have criticised Smith and the team management for their choice of players in the team. One such critic is Shane Warne, who is of the opinion that Finch and Warner should open the batting for Australia in the shortest format of the game.
"Get that intimidatory factor, get Finch and Warner at the top and say 'go for it boys'," Warne was quoted as saying by The Canberra Times.
Warner has done it for his country in the past. The left-handed batsman has done it in the IPL as well. He has been Australia's best opening batsman in recent times, and they should have stuck with him at the top of the order.
Warner batting at No. 4 may have worked for Australia in one or two occasions, but it is not a given that a sudden change in the batting order is going to work all the time.
Former Australian batsman Marcus North is also disappointed with Smith's decision of not including Finch and pushing Warner down the batting order, when he is most effective when opening the batting.
"I'm certainly not convinced they've still got the right batting order and the right balance," North said.
North also suggested Khawaja, who has done well in recent times in the shortest format of the game, be pushed one spot down the batting order.
"I just don't see how they can have the world's best T20 batsman in Finch, who was captain a few months ago, sitting in the dugout. Khawaja, he's been in great form for some time, he can drop to three," North said.
Bringing back Finch and Warner at the top of the batting order will provide more balance to the Australia squad, feels North.
"If you had Warner and Finch at the top [you've got an] intimidation factor. Those guys have scored hundreds in T20 cricket. I just think it gives a bit more balance in the side," North said.
Steve Smith also needs to look into his batting as he averages just under 20 in T20 internationals. His average may be staggering in ODIs and Test cricket, but as a captain he needs to up the ante at the ICC World T20 — a trophy that never graced Australia's gallery mantlepiece.
Australia have been scratchy ever since they landed in India. They really need to improve their game if they will want to make it to the semi-finals of the ICC World T20 2016.
