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'You're Australia T20 captain,' Michael Clarke questions Aaron Finch's remarks over IPL snub
IPL 2021: Speaking to reporters ahead of the T20I series against New Zealand, Finch told reporters that he was expecting not to be picked.
For Australia limited-overs captain Aaron Finch, things are just not improving. After an insipid Indian Premier League 2020 season, Finch returned to ODIs and smashed a century against India in Sydney. The Aussie opener followed it up with another memorable half century, and also contributed with the bat in the ensuing three-match T20I series.
It seemed like Finch's dry patch was over. But then came the disastrous Big Bash League tournament in which the right-hander mustered just 179 runs in 13 innings at an average of 13.76 for Melbourne Renegades. Finch was dismissed for 1 after facing just 2 balls in the first T20I against New Zealand on Monday.
He was released by Royal Challengers Bangalore in January, and at the IPL 2021 Auction last week, Finch found no takers.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the T20I series against New Zealand, Finch told reporters that he was expecting not to be picked. “It would have been nice to be playing again. It’s a wonderful competition to be a part of but it wasn’t unexpected that I wasn’t picked up, to be honest.
“I’d prefer to be playing cricket, but a little bit of time at home won’t be the worst thing," he was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au.
These remarks have not gone down well with former Australia cricketer Michael Clarke who said that Australia T20 captain should not be expecting to not be picked in IPL.
“Well, like I said the other day, no IPL franchise; I can’t believe he come out and said, ‘oh yeah, I expected this to be the case,” Clarke said on the Big Sports Breakfast.
“You’re the Australian captain in that format, you should be expecting that every team wants you.
“And you’re allowed to have a bad series, like, even his BBL, if he’s got that attitude where he believe he’s as good as player as he is, then he says, ‘you know what, I’ve had a bad BBL but all that means is with every less score I’m due for a big one, I’m due for a big one, I’m due for a big one.’ Not, ‘I expected no-one to pick me up'," he signed off.
