India vs Australia 2020: Aaron Finch picks Jasprit Bumrah v Marnus Labuschagne as the contest to watch out for

It didn’t take Marnus Labuchagne much time to stamp his authority in international cricket. The in-form batter has moved up to the third position in the ICC Test batting rankings, following his rich run of form in the longest format of the game. Having proved his credentials in Tests, it would be interesting to see if he can replicate the same in white-ball cricket.

The visitors have arrived in Mumbai, ahead of Tuesday’s opening game. According to Australia skipper Aaron Finch, the contest between pacer Jasprit Bumrah and Labuschagne will be an exciting one to watch out for. Finch said:

“Yes, that (contest) is going to be exciting. The improvement we have seen in Marnus’s game over the last 12 months has been huge and that has been reflected in his scores and the impact he is having in Tests.”

Labuschagne has amassed 896 runs across five Test matches this summer. Apart from his stellar show at the international circuit, the batter was among runs in the 50-over domestic competition (Marsh Cup).

The likes of Usman Khawaja, Glenn Maxwell, and Marcus Stoinis failed to make it to the 14-man squad for the 3-match ODI series. It would be an ideal opportunity for the newcomer to perform in alien conditions to make a mark for himself. On Labuschagne, Finch added:

“He takes enough time to refresh and recharge his batteries because playing here can be tough. He will be ready to go. He is an exciting player and who just keeps getting the job done all the time which is important for us and him.”

From India’s perspective, Bumrah made a return in the T20I series against Sri Lanka, having recovered from an injury. Finch had words of praise for the pacer. He said the Indian spearhead is fast and aggressive apart from having an impeccable accuracy.