Aaron Finch, who is the current Australian limited-overs white-ball cricket captain said that the enforced break due to the COVID-19 pandemic gave him the time to prepare by mentally and reassess his career as he prepares to extend his career at least till the 2023 50-over World Cup.
Finch has played in only five Tests but has featured in 126 ODIs and 61 T20Is where his averages read as — 41.03 and 38.25 respectively. Besides, he is having 16 tons and two tons in respective formats. His scores of 172 against Zimbabwe in 2018 and 156 against England in 2013 are two of the three highest individual scores ever recorded in T20Is.
Aaron Finch Intends To End Career With Qualifying For 2023 World Cup Final
Finch is targeting to end his career on a high note by performing well both individually and team-wise enabling them to reach the finals when the 2023 World Cup happens in India.
“My end date at this stage is the World Cup final of the 2023 World Cup in India. That’s my goal and I’m sticking to it.
“That’s what I had my mind set on a fair while (ago), but I think this period has just confirmed it. That’ll see me through to 36 (years old), obviously with form and everything permitting, and injuries,” Finch was quoted as saying by SEN radio network.
The 33-year-old right-handed opening batsman Finch stated that the five-month-long forced break has rejuvenated him and now his desired goal is to lead Australia to three major ICC events – T20 World Cups in 2021 and 2022 followed by the ODI World Cup in 2023. He has so far captained Australia in 34 T20Is and 35 ODIs winning most of the matches.
“Having this break, as difficult as it’s been for so many people, for athletes and especially ones that are travelling nonstop and playing for 10 or 11 months of the year, it’s been that mental freshen up that people probably needed but haven’t had the opportunity to do.
“If I thought I was going to be pushing it to get to that date, this break has confirmed that I’ll be ready to go right through to that period,” he said.
Australia is set to resume cricket after six months when they tour England next month for three T20Is and three ODIs, starting September 4 at Southampton.
Aaron Finch Missed Cricket In 5 Months Of Lockdown
He realized that he missed cricket due to the covid-19 lockdowns due to prevent the spreading of coronavirus which resulted in the cancellation of many matches and tournaments in a period ranging from March to July 2020.
“The first month or so that we were in lockdown, I didn’t miss playing at all,” he said.
“So originally, that was alarm bells for me; (I thought) does this mean I’m coming to the end, do I retire? And it was like that 32nd day (of no training) ticked over and I was like, ‘right, I’m itching to get back into it’.
“I’m just excited to start playing again. It’s been a long five months and I think for everyone having not had this kind of extended break for some time, I think the novelty of that wore off after the first three months and everyone’s been itching to get back into it since then,” he added.
New Zealand toured Australia and was scheduled to play three ODIs when the coronavirus happened in March and although the first ODI happened which Australia won, the second and third matches were cancelled.
Australian tour of New Zealand, Australian tour of Scotland and Zimbabwe tour of Australia were postponed and will be possibly held when everything returns to normal.
West Indies tour of England was the first series after the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak and the T20I World Cup which was to be held in Australia was also postponed and will be held in 2021 in all possibility.
The following three years — 2021, 2022 and 2023 will see three World Cups in each year as ICC is in a tight corner to maintain scheduling of tours within the stipulated period.