Published: Jan 11, 2020, 02:24 PM (IST)
Edited: Jan 11, 2020, 02:24 PM (IST)
Australia captain Aaron Finch’s No. 1 goal is to get back in the Test side even as he has set sights on on playing the ICC World Cup in 2023.
Finch, 33, says his form and fitness permitting, he would want to be part of Australia’s ODI world cup campaign in India. “I’d love to be, no doubt. At 33 now, I think my game is in as good a place as it’s ever been. That’s (playing 2023 World Cup) a definite goal of mine. That will come down to form and fitness; the desire won’t be any less than it is,” Finch told Sydney Morning Herald. “I know it’s a cliche, taking it one tour at a time, but that’s 100 per cent a goal of mine down the track.”
Finch’s last appearance in baggy green came back in December 2018 having made his debut earlier that year. He was dropped after failing to impress as an opener but still harbours ‘dream’ of playing red-ball cricket for Australia again.
“It might be more of a dream now than a reality,” Finch said. “I still have ambitions of trying to work my way back in there (Tests), but the tough part is trying to get enough four-day cricket to push your case. I missed one game with the Vics (Victoria) through injury, one game was called off, missed one with the T20 series.
He continued, “Some of the young kids coming through, they’re so bloody good. I’d love to play. I suppose the next tour of Bangladesh, that’s probably, who knows, that would be up in the air. It’s still my No. 1 goal to try and get back into the Test side.”
Finch says he might consider retiring from red-ball cricket altogether in order to prolong his limited-overs career. “If it got to the point where I had some good chats with the selectors and they couldn’t see me playing Test cricket again, that’s something you have to consider,” he said.
“Number one is to give yourself the best chance to be playing a format that you’re playing, one-dayers and T20s. A little bit of that is respect to the younger players coming through. I don’t want to be that guy who is holding up young guys if I’m not going to play Test cricket,” Finch added.
