Aaron Finch’s one-day retirement from international cricket will cause quite a stir when the Australian white ball captain asked opening partner David Warner to succeed him as captain of the 50 over team.
Finch announced this morning that he was pulling the pivot on his 50-over international career following his 146th game in the third dead rubber ODI against New Zealand in Cairns on Sunday.
However, he will continue as T20 skipper and lead the nation ahead of his home T20 World Cup later this year.
Watch Australia – New Zealand. Each ODI Live & Exclusive for Fox Sports on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now>
But talking to Triple M’s Dead legends Saturday morning after announcing that he would be stepping down, Finch threw a wrench in the works, ostensibly backing Warner as his successor.
Warner is actually 21 days older than Finch and also has a lifetime captain ban passed down by Cricket Australia in the wake of the 2018 ball tampering scandal in Cape Town.
Ironically, the ball tampering scandal was the catalyst for Finch to rise to white ball captain, taking over from Steve Smith, who had previously led Australia in all three formats.
Smith has already returned to the vice-captain of the Test and led Australia during the Adelaide Test last summer, when Pat Cummins was sidelined as Covid’s close contact.
When asked about his opening partner’s captain prospects, Finch said Warner would be a great option for Australia.
“I think CA is revisiting how it looks,” Finch said. “He’s someone I’ve played with a few times for Australia when he had the opportunity to captain and it was fantastic.
“He is an incredible tactical captain and someone who, at the time, everyone loved playing under. But I’m not sure what CA’s stance is on it.
“Would I like to see it upside down? Absolutely. What he can offer not just now in that leadership space, but moving forward, to be able to coach and help the next generation of upcoming players will be so important to Australian cricket.
“I think you do your time and he did it really well, I think.”
For about the past year, discussions about lifting the Warner ban have been a topic of discussion for players and administrators.
Late Australian cricket legend Shane Warne also questioned the ongoing ban after Smith became vice-captain.
“With Sandpapergate returning to South Africa a few years ago, how can the captain be allowed to take on another leadership role where a player like David Warner, who probably has the best cricket brain on the team, is not allowed to do so?” He said.
“If you intend to disqualify a player but allow the captain to have another chance, it makes no sense to me.
“I thought they were both available again, and we’ve all moved on, and we’ve put it in the past, and you can be captain or vice-captain again, or you can’t … I don’t think I can pick and choose a player or not “.
In June, the Cummins test skipper lent his backing to Warner, saying, “Basically, lifelong ban on someone I disagree with.”
“He is a fantastic leader of our team here. If he had a formal role, he’d be great with that too. So if that ever happens, he’ll be great, ”Cummins added.
Last December, his wife Candice told 2GB that he would rather captain a team in one of the lucrative overseas tournaments than play in Big Bash.
He added in July of this year: “I don’t like injustice, so it bothers me,” he said.
“But it doesn’t really bother him because he can go captain in the UAE, he can go captain in India, where people appreciate his cricket brains and what he can bring to a team.”
Warner will play Big Bash this season, having signed a contract with the Sydney Thunder for $ 70,000 per game.
The belief is that the Thunder would like Warner as captain and will lobby Cricket Australia to overturn the leadership ban.
Warner isn’t the only player who could become the captain of the 50 overs as the likes of Smith, wicketkeeper Alex Carey or Cummins could also be seen as options, while Glenn Maxwell was also captain of his Melbourne Stars BBL team. .
#call #Aaron #Finchs #successor #throws #key #work