“Have to go on current form”: Aaron Finch hints at absentees from West Indies and Bangladesh tour in likeliness of missing T20 World Cup spots

Aaron Finch: The Australian captain didn’t mince his words to lay emphasis on current form ahead of ICC T20 World Cup 2021. 

Australia white-ball captain Aaron Finch has expressed excitement at the prospect of veteran all-rounder Daniel Christian returning to the white-ball squad for the upcoming tours of West Indies and Bangladesh.

Christian, 38, the last of whose 35 international appearances for Australia had come during the tour of India in 2017, was roped into the squad as a late replacement for players who pulled out of two white-ball tours.

“[Daniel Christian] is someone who’s so dynamic, and we saw the impact he had especially towards the business end of the Big Bash last year – he came in and had a high strike-rate from ball one.

“He’s explosive with the bat, he’s got tricks with the ball, he’s experienced, he doesn’t get fazed and he’s a brilliant fielder. Dan’s a super player, an unbelievable competitor and a great person to have around the group. I’m really excited to have him back in,” Finch was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au in Brisbane from where the squad will travel to the Caribbean in Monday.

Christian, who had to miss the ongoing season of T20 Blast for Notts Outlaws due to a national recall, has been one of the most prolific all-rounders in the T20 circuit in the last decade or so.

Aaron Finch hints at absentees from West Indies and Bangladesh tour in likeliness of missing T20 World Cup spots

While Finch had previously talked about the idea of resting premium all-format players like David Warner and Pat Cummins for the tours of West Indies and Bangladesh, the likes of Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Kane Richardson and Jhye Richardson made themselves unavailable due to personal reasons.

Batsman Steven Smith and all-rounder Daniel Sams both missed out on selection due to their respective injuries.

With a looming ICC T20 World Cup 2021, Finch didn’t mince his words to lay emphasis on the fact that “current form” in international cricket will be preferred and that absentees have “very realistic” chances of missing out on selection.

“Yeah, very realistic [chances of missing out]. You have to go on current form, and you pick guys who are playing well. Playing cricket for Australia and doing well is the ultimate, in my opinion.

“So for guys to be on this tour, to get the first opportunity to really put their hand up and take a spot is what it’s about. It’s tough to ignore really good international performances,” Finch added.

Finch, who had last played competitive cricket during the tour of New Zealand in March, further talked logically with respect to comparing conditions of West Indies and Bangladesh to India or the UAE as the T20 World Cup will be held in either of the two countries.

“These conditions are going to be really similar to what we face in the T20 World Cup I imagine, especially St Lucia [having been] used quite a lot recently with the South Africa series.

“And Bangladesh [is] quite similar to India or the UAE, wherever that lands [in terms of World Cup host]. So yeah, absolutely, there’s going to be opportunities for guys to put their hand up and take spots,” Finch further said.