Finch available for warm-up match against India

Australia captain Aaron Finch confirmed that he is fit to playing against India in the T20 World Cup warm-up match on October 20. The opener was injured in July during the T20I series against West Indies for which he underwent a surgery in August to repair cartilage in his right knee.

Australia are set to play two warm-up games against New Zealand (October 18) and India.

Yeah, it is all good. I think it's nine weeks tomorrow, post-surgery, so everything has come along really well. It is probably a couple of weeks ahead of schedule," Finch said at the pre-tournament virtual media interaction on Thursday.

"Originally it was probably touch and go to be available for the two warm up games, but at the moment it is looking like there will be no problems, so looking forward to getting out and getting back into it,  the 34-year-old added.

Finch also backed David Warner who has hit a rough patch during the IPL 2021 which led to his omission from Sunrisers Hyderabad's playing XI.

"We have seen him in great spirits, he is coming here with a great attitude and he is organising things behind the scenes, he is doing everything that he loves to do, I have got no issues that come game one he will be ready to go," he said.

With several star players opting out of the tours this years, Australia full-strength squad had a disjointed preparation for the T20 World Cup. However, Finch was confident that his team can do well in the tournament.

"It is the one that has eluded us. We have been close a couple of times but we have also been quite a distance off in other times. We are still very confident going into (the World Cup). We have got a group that have played a lot of T20, not a huge amount together, guys are at different stages of preparation and getting back to playing. It comes down to getting it done on the day," he said.

Finch was also unfazed by the talks surrounding the upcoming Ashes Down Under as he said that the team is not distracted anything outside the T20 World Cup.

"No, there hasn't been any distraction from that, to be honest. All that talk is behind the scenes between boards and players association and things like that, so none of that has come into the player's chat over here," he said.