Finch aims to hit the mark in India-Australia ODI series

Australia ODI captain Aaron Finch says he doesn’t need a Big Bash League triumph to motivate himself for the limited-overs series against Team India starting February 24.

Aaron Finch of the Melbourne Renegades attempts a run out in the Big Bash League final against Melbourne Stars in Melbourne on Sunday.

 

Australia captain Aaron Finch feels that he doesn’t need a Big Bash League triumph to “pep” him up as playing an away series against a formidable Indian team is a big enough challenge.

Finch will lead Australia in the upcoming limited overs series in India starting February 24, where it would play two T20Is apart from five ODIs to fine-tune the preparation for the ICC World Cup.

Finch’s side Melbourne Renegades beat Melbourne Stars by 13 runs in the BBL final on Sunday.

“I don’t think you need anything to put a pep in your step when you’re going on an Aussie tour, particularly to India,” Finch was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au .

“If you are slightly off the mark, you are going to get hurt. They (India) are the best side in one-day cricket in their own conditions, I think. So you’ve got to go there full of confidence and have a real clear game plan,” said the 32-year-old opener.

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Finch went through an eventful summer. He was appointed Australia’s one-day captain in a World Cup year, before making his long-awaited Test debut. But he has since been dropped from the Test squad after failing to fire, and has not been as destructive as usual in the shorter form of the game.

He made just 13 in the BBL final with a bizarre dismissal, when Cameron White’s straight drive deflected off bowler Jackson Bird’s boot to hit the stumps, with Finch stranded outside his crease.

Finch stormed off and smashed a plastic chair with his bat in the tunnel and escaped a fine for the incident though he was reprimanded for level 1 breach of CA’s Code of Conduct for equipment abuse.

“It just about sums up my summer,” he said.

“It’s a tough one. You’re looking to score, you’re looking to rotate the strike early but it happens. I felt like I was hitting the ball really nicely ... just not for long enough,” Finch said.