Marcus Stoinis has been ruled out of the final ODI against New Zealand, and the successful David-Warner-Aaron Finch opening combo will not get one last chance after Warner was cut from Australia’s team in order to manage his workload.
Due to a minor side injury, Stoinis will miss the decisive game of the Chappell-Hadlee series. In an effort to heal in time for the quick T20I tour of India, which departs late next week, he will return to Perth. However, side strains can be difficult to recover from quickly.
The final game in Cairns on Sunday will feature pace bowler Nathan Ellis, who has appeared in three ODIs.
For his final ODI, Finch will open with a different partner because Warner was cut from the team. With 3788 runs, 12-century stands, and fourth-most production in Australia, the pair will finish.
Marnus Labuschagne might be a candidate to accompany Finch. The backup batter in the lineup is Josh Inglis, who took Marsh’s spot, and Cameron Green, who missed the second game due to cramps from the previous game, might be available once more.
Mitchell Marsh had to return home after the first game against Zimbabwe to recover from a slight ankle injury, but there were signs that he would be available for the India tour. Stoinis is the second all-rounder injury Australia has experienced in the past few weeks.
Stoinis removed James Neesham in the second ODI on Thursday, but he left the field before the outcome was decided.
While Finch’s form issues have received most of the attention, Stoinis’ returns have also received little attention. In 19 ODI innings at 17.11 since the commencement of the 2019 World Cup, he has scored 308 runs.
Australia’s triumph in the T20 World Cup last year was greatly aided by both Stoinis and Marsh. Despite missing the team’s loss to England, Marsh solidified his position as the No. 3 player, and Stoinis joined Matthew Wade as a middle-order finisher. The combination also offers practical solutions for pace bowling. However, it remains to be seen how Australia would integrate Tim David into their lineup for this year’s competition.
