Wicketkeeper-batsman Matthew Wade is willing to lead the visiting Australian side during their three-match ODI series against West Indies, starting Tuesday, if regular skipper Aaron Finch doesn’t recover from his knee injury.
Finch aggravated a knee problem that he had been managing for a while during the fifth and final T20I in St Lucia and now looks like an unlikely participant for Australia’s three ICC Super League fixtures in Barbados versus the Calypso Kings.
Finch’s injury has led to questioning marks over his potential captaincy replacement, with vice-captain Pat Cummins and senior pros Steve Smith, David Warner missing the Caribbean trip.
Wade, the T20I vice-captain on the tour, is one option that the team management would consider for the ODIs. But the wicketkeeper hasn’t played any 50-over internationals for Australia since September 2017. However, speaking to cricket.com.au, Wade said he would be willing to accept the leadership role if he is asked to do it.
“I came over here thinking I would play the T20s and I wouldn’t play the ODIs. I think some of the younger guys would get some opportunities to play them which is fair enough, I’ve been around a long time now. But if Finchy doesn’t come up there might be an opportunity to play, so we’ll wait and see,”
Wade said.
Wade, however, doesn’t consider himself as a front-runner to replace Finch at the helm of affairs as he thinks even Moises Henriques, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Adam Zampa could do a good job as captain.
Previously, Australia also had fellow gloveman Alex Carey as one of their designated vice-captains.
“I love to captain whenever I get an opportunity. I captained in the T20s against India, and we’ve got plenty of different leaders here,”
“Moises is a really good leader, Adam Zampa is getting better and better, ‘Starcy’ and ‘Hoff’ (Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood) go about their thing.”
Wade added.
