Australian skipper Aaron Finch reveals his retirement date after rejuvenating COVID break

Setting his eyes on the 2023 ODI World Cup in India, Australia's limited-overs skipper Aaron Finch has revealed that it would be his last outing in national colours. Finch, who will be 36-years-old by then, has, however, highlighted that form and injuries might impact his decision. He added that Coronovirus-forced break has helped him re-assess and now desires to lead Australia into the next two T20 World Cups and the ODI World Cup in 2023. 

"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 mindset 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.

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'Itching to get back': Finch

The Australian captain highlighted that COVID-forced break has been the 'mental freshen up' that people needed but didn't have the opportunity to do. Finch also admitted that he was 'itching' to get back to cricket which was not the case at first and it made him feel as if he was coming to an end. "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," he remarked. 

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“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,” Finch said. 

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With cricket resuming at the international level, Aaron Finch will lead his team as Australia tours England next month for three T20 Internationals and as many ODIs, starting September 4 at Southampton. The three-match T20I series will be played on September 4,6, and 8 whereas the ODI series will be played on September 11, 13, and, 16 respectively. The Australian skipper will also be seen in the IPL but in different colours as he was bought by the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the auction last year.

The 2023 edition of the quadrennial event is scheduled to be held in India in October-November 2023. Finch was a key member of the Australian squad that had won their record fifth World Cup in 2015 that was jointly hosted by Trans-Tasman rivals Australia and New Zealand. He had then led the Aussies to the semi-finals of the 2019 edition of the showpiece event as well.

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