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Langer backs Finch as skipper, hints at change

Australia's coach to review leadership and coaching stuff after tours of England and Zimbabwe

Coach Justin Langer has flagged a post-tour review that will look at "everything" in the set-up of the Australian team and hinted that T20 skipper Aaron Finch is a chance to take over the one-day side in place of Tim Paine.

Paine was appointed both Test and ODI captain in the wake of the Cape Town ball-tampering saga, which saw captain Steve Smith and his deputy David Warner suspended for 12 months.

But the Tasmanian's appointment as ODI skipper was flagged as a short-term move and a series whitewash in the UK, where he also struggled for form with the bat, has left his spot in the team up in the air and left the door ajar for Finch to take over.

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At the end of his first stint abroad as Australian coach, Langer said he will review the make-up of the playing and coaching staff and hinted at changes to come.

"He's done really well in this series," Langer said of Finch after Australia lost the T20 tri-series final to Pakistan in Harare.

"We've talked about it from the day I was appointed, that after this tour we'll have a really close look at everything we’re doing at the moment.

"From our leadership, which is such an incredibly high priority in Australian cricket, we’ll look at that.

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"Finchy has certainly put his best foot forward in this series, we'll look at that.

"We’ll look at all of our staff, we’ll look at everything to make sure we keep flying forward as is the expectation of the Australian cricket team."

Langer spoke in glowing terms of Finch, his T20 skipper in Zimbabwe, who was the leading run-scorer on this tour with 303 runs in five games.

"I think he’s done a great job (at the) top of the order, to have someone that dynamic is a great example to all of our players," Langer said.

"Like we saw with Pakistan today, you’ve got to play fearless cricket."

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Australia took an extremely inexperienced squad away to the UK and Zimbabwe, with Jack Wildermuth and Mitchell Swepson handed debuts and the likes of Jhye Richardson, D’Arcy Short and Billy Stanlake boasting just a handful of international games before the tour began.

And it was that inexperience that cost Australia, according to the coach, and something he’ll address in his upcoming review.

"In a great team, you’ve probably got eight of those (experienced) players with a couple of younger guys,” Langer said.

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"We’ve probably got three experienced guys with eight very inexperienced players; the balance isn’t right at the moment but hopefully we get that balance right."

Australia now have a break of almost three months before the squad travels to the United Arab Emirates to face Pakistan in October, with an Australia A tour of India to guide selections for that series.