Playing for Australia is My Number One Priority - Chris Lynn

A hit out in the park while donning the national colours seems to changed Chris Lynn’s mind. A few days ago, his comments, where he said playing T20 cricket across the globe is better suited to him over trying for the elusive baggy green, had made him look like a mercenary.

“Ever since my best mate Phil Hughes passed away it’s, ‘What do you want out of life?’. I ask myself that every day. Does it make be a better person if I’ve got that Baggy Green on the wall? That’s up to anyone’s opinion really,” Lynn had told Triple M earlier this week.

However, it seems the hard-hitting batsman has a change of heart now as he said his Test hopes are on hold rather than being extinguished.

On Saturday (February 3), he donned the Australian jersey for just the seventh time in his career and played a vital knock of 44 off 33 balls to lead the hosts to a comfortable seven-wicket win over New Zealand in the T20 tri-series opener in Sydney.

Speaking after the game, the right-handed batsman said representing the country is of utmost priority to him. He also weighed in on country vs franchise debate, insisting he would choose country over any franchise always.

“My number one priority, and always will be my number one priority, is playing for Australia,” Lynn told reporters on Saturday.

“It might just be in the shorter formats at this stage. Those T20 leagues are great, and I’ll always put my hands up for them, but if they clash with Australian duties, I’m always going to play for Australia.

“Playing tonight is the best feeling in the world. It’s great fun, the changeroom is amazing, I’ve learnt from the best players and get to be a part of the Australian system. As a kid growing up, you want to be part of the Australian change room, I’ve said that will always be my number 1 priority. There’s World Cups around the corner, I want to be a strong part of them, and basically it started tonight,” he added.

Lynn’s explosive exploits in T20 leagues across the globe have overshadowed the fact his first-class record is equally impressive. In 41 first-class games, Lynn averages 43.53 with six hundred, including a record-breaking 250 against Victoria in 2015.

The 26-year old further insisted his Test career is currently on hold because of the spate of injuries he had suffered in recent times. In last two years, the Queenslander suffered three serious shoulder injuries in addition to other injuries.

“If I was to play a four-day Sheffield Shield game, playing day one that’s fine, but there’s no way I could back up days two, three and four,” said Lynn.

“That’s the worst feeling in the world – putting your hand up to say you can play and then letting your teammates down when you only have ten on the field. That’s what hurts the most. I’d rather just put it away for probably 12 months, but I definitely wouldn’t burn that bridge, still (want to) keep that door open.

“But it’s on hold for now. I just want to play some cricket. I was pretty hungry to play the 50-over stuff, but even deep down inside I thought I would struggle to play this last campaign (the Gillette ODI series against England). This is a great platform to hit the ground running, and I’ve got some good cricket moving ahead,” he added.

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