Monday, 18 February 2019:
 | | AARON FINCH of Australia plays a shot during game two of the One Day International series between Australia and England at The Gabba in Brisbane, Australia. | |
|
The champagne corks will still be popping following the Melbourne Renegades' maiden BBL title when Aaron Finch flies out with the Australian ODI squad for the tour of India.
The Australian skipper will have little time to celebrate Sunday's breathtaking win over the Melbourne Stars at Marvel Stadium, departing for the two Twenty20 and five-game ODI series on Monday.
The joyous scenes that followed the 13-run win would seem just the tonic to soothe Finch's frayed nerves after a frustrating summer.
Dropped from the Test team and out of form in the white-ball game, a candid Finch has described recent months as one of the most challenging periods of his career.
But while thrilled with the win, the 32-year-old said he didn't need it to propel him into the tour with a full head of steam.
"I don't think you need anything to put a pep in your step when you're going on an Aussie tour, particularly to India," Finch said.
"If you're slightly off the mark you're going to get hurt.
"They're the best side in one-day cricket in their own conditions, I think.
"So you've got to go there full of confidence and have a real clear game plan."
The story looked almost certain to have a different ending for Finch and the Renegades, who were in deep trouble before the Stars capitulated, losing 7-19.
Finch appeared to have regained some touch in the first innings before he was run out on 13 backing up at the non-striker's end following a fluky deflection off Jackson Bird's boot.
As he disappeared down the tunnel, his frustrations boiled to the surface, the opener smashing a plastic chair with his bat then giving it another whack as it bounced back at him just for good measure.
"It just about sums up my summer," a smiling Finch said of his desperately unlucky dismissal.
"It's a tough one. You're looking to score, you're looking to rotate the strike early but it happens.
"I felt like I was hitting the ball really nicely ... just not for long enough."
