"Pune gave me a lifeline in IPL; ecstatic to play for Sunrisers Hyderabad" - Interview with No.1 T20 batsman Aaron Finch

Aaron Finch of Australia pictured with the ‘Man of the Match’ award during the ICC World Twenty20 Bangladesh 2014 match between Bangladesh and Australia at Sher-e-Bangla Mirpur Stadium

In the past couple of years, you’ve answered your critics who doubted your T20 credentials incredibly well with some quality performances in the format. Has your approach to the shortest format of the game changed in any sense to bring an attacking edge to your batting style?

Of course, as an opener you need to make a slight change to your approach as you need to take those risks to give that acceleration to the innings in the powerplays. You need to pick the right bowlers from the opposition to attack, and to pace the innings in order to stay in control of the game for as long as possible.

If we were to discuss your last couple of years and your best of T20 innings, then one has to talk about that 156 vs England at Southampton. Where do you rank that innings among the highlight moments of your cricketing career?

Well, surprisingly enough, I don’t really have a lasting memory from that particular game. It was obviously great to win against England, and to win with a convincing margin. However, on a personal note, all I remember is that everything I tried really came off on the day. It was just one of those days when things just happened for me.

Do you think, the old-school batting craft is underrated in the T20 version of the game?

I think it still holds its importance even in the shortest format of the game. When you look down at the best T20 batsmen over the years, it is pretty evident that they have been doing well in almost all formats of the game – be it ODIs or even Test cricket for that matter. For example, Virat Kohli in the last couple of years has been scoring runs in all the formats of the game and his approach is pretty conventional. But then you have the likes of Glenn Maxwell and AB who have a great range of shots and have been really successful in recent times.

So, in a way, there is enough room for both batting styles to co-exist in this game.

So are there a couple of shots that Aaron Finch is working on ahead of the IPL?

Yes, I am. As a cricketer, you’re always looking to add more strokes to your game and T20 is a format that brings those elements to the game. And yes, I have been working on a couple of shots in the nets. Probably, you will see them in this IPL season.

You have been a seasoned IPL campaigner now, with four seasons under your belt. How has the IPL helped you in growing as a cricketer over the past few years?

It has definitely played a huge part in my career. I always believed that playing with the best players in the world makes you work harder on your game. The standard of the game is really high in the IPL and playing against the best in the world also helps when you face them later with your national side.

Does playing in the sub-continent change your preparations to a certain extent? How do you tackle some of the world-class spinners that end up being a challenge most of the overseas players in the IPL?

I think the gameplan depends on the guys in the opposition that you’re comfortable facing and are ready to attack. So more than the preparations, for me it is about what the team requires at that particular moment in the game.

Was it really comforting to know that you could play for Hyderabad with your Aussie teammate David Warner? How important has it been for you to have him around in the Aussie side and now in the IPL?

I think it is a really exciting prospect to play with him in the IPL. He’s been carrying some great form, for the last 12 months or so and he’s definitely a great asset for the side. I think whoever opens the batting for the team – whether it is Dave, Shikhar or me – we can expect some entertaining cricket from the top order.

I have known Dave Warner for about 12 years now, and we’ve played against each other in underage cricket and have come along a long way together in the national side. So, it is always a pleasure to have him around in the side.

Last year, Sunrisers were criticized for the lack of depth in the batting department. Do you think the franchise has done enough strengthening to make the team competitive enough for this season?

Yeah, I think that’s the plan. But then in cricket, not much goes to plan very often, but I’m sure the franchise have done all their homework to pick the best side possible. I think the beauty of the IPL is that if one of them is not doing the job for the team there is always a player in the dugout to take your spot.

I believe we have a very talented bunch of players who have been successful in the past or have been in great form over the past few months – and that’s what you can ask for ahead of any tournament.

On current form, you’d be expected to better your previous IPL stints. What are your personal expectations from the tournament?

Look, I set pretty high standards for myself and it’s not going to be any different this time around. I have never played in the UAE before, so that will be a great challenge. Overall, it has always been a platform that I have been keen to perform consistently and I’m really looking forward to it.