Selector George Bailey Confirms Aaron Finch Will Lead Australia In The T20 World Cup

Australia’s limited-overs captain Aaron Finch has found himself under plenty of pressure recently amid his horror form with the bat. Aaron Finch has been struggling to get the runs ever since the 2020-21 edition of Big Bash League that has stretched to the ongoing T20I series against New Zealand. Nevertheless, cricketer-turned-selector George Bailey says that the opening batsman will lead Australia in the upcoming T20 World Cup in India.

Aaron Finch started the Australian summer against India on a promising note, scoring at least fifty runs in the three ODIs. However, his form tapered off in the shortest format and the Big Bash League. The Victorian managed only 179 runs in 13 matches for the Melbourne Renegades. Finch has scores of 1 and 12 in a losing effort in the two T20Is played thus far in New Zealand.

George Bailey termed Aaron Finch’s criticism as white noise and asserted that as a batsman, who has a terrific average, he will captain the side in the 2021 T20 World Cup. Bailey revealed that the 34-year old was exhausted ahead of the Big Bash League; however, he wanted to join a young Renegades team. In hindsight, Finch thought that should have sat out longer and come back fresh.

“He’s got a terrific average, he’s the captain of this side and he’ll be the captain of this side at the World Cup. It (Aaron Finch’s criticism) is just complete white noise for me. He was pretty zonked. But he tried to do the right thing and get back to help a young (Melbourne) Renegades side. His reflection on that was that he probably should’ve sat longer out and come back a bit fresher,” Bailey told Melbourne Herald Sun.

Aaron Finch will be in the top five or 10 leading run-scorers: George Bailey

The Tasmanian also backed Aaron Finch to be in the top five or top ten leading run-scorers in T20 internationals. Finch, who holds the eighth spot currently with 2162 runs in 68 games, has earned the support of maintaining a healthy strike rate and do it consistently in the future.

“He’d be in the top five or 10 leading run-scorers, and if he doesn’t have the highest strike-rate amongst them he’d be absolutely close. And he’s done it very, very consistently for Australia over a long period of time, and will continue to do so into the future,” he added.

Also Read: Surpassing Anil Kumble’s Test Wicket Tally Not On Ravichandran Ashwin’s Mind Now