'I was very excited and jumped at the opportunity' - Aaron Finch on receiving a call from KKR head coach Brendon McCullum

Australia’s limited-overs skipper and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) opener Aaron Finch has opened up about how he felt disappointed after not getting picked by any franchise during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction. To note, the right-handed batter was picked by the two-time champions KKR as a replacement for English batter Alex Hales later just before the start of the season.

Finch was bagged by KKR for INR 1.5 crore. The 35-year-old has played two matches in the edition so far and has scored 65 runs. He played an excellent knock of 58 runs in just 28 balls smashing nine fours and two maximums. He will want to play a handy knock against Gujarat Titans (GT) in an afternoon match on April 23 (Saturday).

Baz called me and I got very excited: Aaron Finch

In an interview with KKR, Aaron Finch also opened up about how it feels from an international player’s perspective during the auction days. He admitted of being nervous on the auction day despite playing an international game. Finch also stated that IPL provides the opportunity to rub shoulders with best players which helps them to get better as a cricketer.

“I think it just depends. I think we played a game. This year we played a game against Sri Lanka on that day. So you don’t think about it too much at all. But in the years gone past, there are times when you get a little bit nervous because you’re hopeful of getting picked. It’s just a great competition to be a part of and I think when you’re not here you miss it. To have the chance to train and play with the best players in the world consistently I think makes everyone better, ” Finch said.

“Yeah, of course. Yeah. But then to get the call from Baz [Head coach Brendon McCullum] to come and join KKR, I was very excited and jumped at the opportunity,” Finch said when asked about how he felt after not getting picked during IPL 2022 mega auction.

Talking about Finch’s numbers in IPL, he has played 89 matches and has amassed a total of 2070 runs. The right-handed batter has also hit 15 half-centuries and plays at a strike rate of 129.13. The 35-year-old is a very experienced batter and has played for several franchises all across the world.