Ban vs Aus: Going back to middle-order is a challenge I look forward to, says Wade
Aug 02, 2021
Dhaka [Bangladesh], August 2 : Matthew Wade, Australia's stand-in skipper for the T20I series against Bangladesh, on Monday confirmed he would be batting in the middle-order and this would be his role in all probability in the upcoming T20 World Cup.
Australia and Bangladesh will be locking horns in five T20Is, beginning Tuesday. Wade would be doning the captaincy hat as Aaron Finch is out injured.
"It's something I'm looking forward to. I've been up the top for three years and feel like any time called upon I can do a good job up there, so to go back into the middle order is a challenge I'm excited to do. It doesn't faze me too much, whatever needs to be done," ESPNcricinfo quoted Wade as saying.
"Then once the World Cup comes around, whether than means I go back up the top or stay in the middle order we aren't 100 per cent sure. The way Mitch has come out and played at No. 3 that's certainly another option for us at the top. He could open as well if we needed him to. So we are probably rolling through a few different scenarios of where guys can fit in the best team come the World Cup," he added.
Wade reckons that he would be in good stead as he has plenty of experience of playing in the middle-order. The left-handed batsman had batted at No. 6 in the last match against West Indies and he managed to score 26 runs off 18 balls.
"Thankfully I've played for Australia in the middle order a lot, especially in one-day cricket and even T20 have probably played 50-50 of my innings. It's probably more a chance to get there now and get some more work in, I haven't done it for three years so it certainly has its challenges compared to opening the batting but it's a good opportunity to do it," said Wade.
"I'll find a way to make it work and win some games. Things I probably didn't have seven or eight years ago in my game I feel like I've added -- laps and things like that -- which are really important towards the back end. Feel like I have a few more tricks than I had a few years ago and the advantage in these five games is that I can get in there and see what works and what doesn't," he added.