Dual threat Agar gives Aussies finishing product

Captain Aaron Finch is hopeful spin-bowling allrounder Ashton Agar can continue improving as a genuine white-ball finisher as Australia seeks flexibility and balance in their T20 line-up.

The Aussies look set to again play spin twins Agar and Adam Zampa in Wednesday night's second T20 International against Sri Lanka at the Gabba, a venue where leggie Zampa earned man-of-the-match honours in last year's T20I against India.

That night, Zampa took 2-22 from his four overs, including the big wicket of Virat Kohli, and the South Australian was again in fine touch in Sunday's opening Gillette T20 in Adelaide, picking up 3-14 from his four overs.

"'Zamps' has been outstanding, the way he prepared in the lead-up to the first game as well as the length that he bowled, along with Ashton Agar, they were both excellent," Finch said in Brisbane on Tuesday.

"To not go for a boundary against unbelievable players of spin was a huge credit to the way that they bowled."

Agar revealed to cricket.com.au in June that he had been studying renowned batting finishers Andre Russell and Hardik Pandya as he looks to make the position his in Australia's limited-overs set-up.

"I think I can naturally hit the ball cleanly," he said. "But I think I can get better, and more consistently better – consistently hitting more sixes and fours.

"I've watched how (Russell and Pandya) play. I've looked at what they've done in the IPL, I've looked at how they set up, and I'm trying to practice a bit like them – going into the nets and giving yourself a situation where you have to get on with it from ball one.

"I've worked on how I pick my hands up, I've worked on the areas I'm good at hitting at, (and looked at) how I can get better in the other areas.

"It's a lot of fun, and I want to get good at it; if that's the position I'm going to be coming in at, then I'm going to try and make the most of it."

The 26-year-old has only batted seven times in T20I cricket (five times from number seven) and with the strength of Australia's top order, it appears his opportunities will continue to be limited.

However Finch said his role was an important piece of Australia's T20 puzzle.

"(Agar at seven) gives us the (extra bowling) option," he added. "His batting is still developing and something he's been working on is becoming that real finisher towards the back-end of an innings in T20 and one-day games.

"If he can keep developing that then it does give you a lot of options to play that second spinner or go with four quicks, or another allrounder – it actually just balances the side really well."

Despite a commonly-held theory that spin was the more effective bowling option in T20s at the Gabba, a look at statistics from the KFC Big Bash suggest that is somewhat of a fallacy.

In the past 10 BBL matches at the venue, pace bowling has averaged a wicket every 17.68 deliveries, compared to every 23.88 deliveries for spin.

While Australia have only played one T20 at the Gabba in the past five years, Finch said the data differed significantly between Big Bash and internationals.

"There's quite a bit of discrepancy between the Big Bash numbers and international numbers," he said. "Obviously there's not as many international games being played here, and spin's still very effective (at the Gabba), we know that."

Gillette T20 INTLs v Sri Lanka

Australia squad: Aaron Finch (c), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Glenn Maxwell, Ben McDermott, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Billy Stanlake, Mitchell Starc, Ashton Turner, David Warner, Adam Zampa, Sean Abbott (from game two)

Sri Lanka squad: Lasith Malinga (c), Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis, Danushka Gunathilaka, Avishka Fernando, Niroshan Dickwella, Dasun Shanaka, Shehan Jayasuriya, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Oshada Fernando, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lakshan Sandakan, Nuwan Pradeep, Lahiru Kumara, Isuru Udana, Kasun Rajitha

First T20: Australia won by 134 runs

October 30: Second T20I, Gabba, 6.10pm (Fox & Kayo)

November 1: Third T20I, MCG, 7.10pm (Fox & Kayo)

Gillette T20 INTLs v Pakistan

Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (c), Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Sohail, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Irfan, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Musa Khan, Shadab Khan, Usman Qadir.

November 3: First T20I, SCG, 2.30pm (Fox & Kayo)

November 5: Second T20I, Manuka Oval, 7.10pm (Fox & Kayo)

November 8: Third T20I, Perth Stadium, 4.30pm (Fox & Kayo)