IPL 2018: Aaron Finch looking forward to work with Ashwin and Hodge at Kings XI Punjab

Kings XI Punjab had bought Finch for INR 6.2 crores during the IPL auction.

Aaron Finch has played for Gujarat Lions in the last season of IPL (Pic. source: IPLT20.com)

Australia opener Aaron Finch, who was roped in by Kings XI Punjab for INR 6.2 crores during the IPL auction in January, is all excited to start his new collaboration with the Punjab-based franchise. Finch has previously represented as many as 6 different teams in the IPL, thus, he is fully aware of the buzz in the stadiums all across India.

In the eleventh edition of Indian Premier League, KXIP will play their home matches in Mohali and Indore. Considering the passion of Punjab crowd, Finch is looking forward to exhibit his skills amidst electrifying atmosphere.

 “I am really looking forward to playing in Mohali and Indore. I have played there quite a bit, and the crowd has always been amazing. I am really looking forward to being on the right side of such a passionate crowd,” Finch quoted as saying by the KXIP website.

 “Playing with some talented teammates with (Ravichandran) Ashwin as the captain is something I am excited about. I also have some Aussie friends – (Marcus) Stoinis, (Andrew) Tye and (Ben) Dwarshius – also playing there and with (Brad) Hodge as the coach, it is all the more exciting,” he added.

There is no doubt that today’s cricketers earn a hefty sum by playing league cricket all around the world, but it has its pros and cons as well. Staying away from home and family for long durations of time is something that has become a part and parcel of contemporary cricketers’ life. Finch though reckons that it is all part of living your dream.

 “For me personally, I play the Australian domestic season, play for Australia, and the IPL and other such leagues. So, normally it’s a task to find time at home, but it’s not a task to find time for life as a 30-year-old. There are times when you want to be home because you are away for a long time, but if you do something you love you have to sacrifice a bit. And playing cricket is something I love,” Finch said.

Ever since the inception of T20 format, Cricket has become a ruthless sport. In particular, if you are as big an entertainer as Finch, who is widely deemed as one of the clean strikers of the ball in the game today. However, T20 is an unforgiving format where one mistimed shot could determine the eventual outcome of the match.

“I think you have to be realistic with the game. T20 cricket has a much higher risk factor, so one has to understand that you will miss out on some days, while on some days, you will perform really well. You have to take it all in your stride. You have to make sure you are winning the game for your team or your franchise,” Finch opined.

“But you can either be a high-risk and high reward kind of player and win games single-handedly if you score, or you could be a low-risk player. It’s about balancing what fits you as a player and what fits the team at the time. If you want to be a high-risk player, that’s great, but you will have to sacrifice your numbers every now and then,” he concluded.

 
 

By Salman Anjum - 18 Mar, 2018

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