India vs Australia | My finger would need to be cut off to stop me from playing, jokes Aaron Finch

Australian opener Aaron Finch, who hails from the state of Victoria, which will play host to the third Test between India and Australia on Boxing Day joked that it will take a lot more than just a battered finger to prevent him from playing in the next match. The explosive opener was on 25 in Australia's second innings during the second Test in Perth when his right index finger was jammed by a brutal delivery from India's fast bowler Mohammed Shami that meant that he had to retire hurt.

"It was a bit of a shock. Just the initial pain was the thing that got me. Being hit a few times in the last month (made it worse), a couple of times by Starcy (Mitchell Starc) at training, then obviously Shami.

"With a Boxing Day Test, being from Victoria (state), it (finger) is going to have to be cut off (not to play)," Finch joked to reporters. "It's going to be catch and bat today and reassess, but it feels like it's improved 100 percent over the last couple of days," Finch told AFP reporters ahead of the third match at the MCG.

The KXIP batsman had earlier claimed that he felt his finger was ‘going to explode’ when he got hit by the Shami delivery. However, the bullish Aussie has been given the green light by the Australian medical staff and hopes to be involved in the crucial game in Melbourne later this week.

"I got sent some new bats, so I've been walking around the lounge room and waving them around. It feels okay. But at this stage, it's still business as usual and I plan to field at slip and do whatever else is needed," he concluded.