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The IPL 2021 Auction is nearing, and Australian white-ball skipper Aaron Finch is set to be up for grabs. The destructive opener is currently ranked number 4 in the ICC T20I rankings for batsmen and will provide any team with a stable and enterprising option at the top.
In 66 T20I matches for Australia, Aaron Finch has over 2000 runs at an average of 37.70, including 2 tons and 12 half-centuries. Overall, he's the second-highest run-scorer for the country, only behind David Warner. Finch's strike rate of over 150 also makes him an exciting option at the top.
However, the right-hander's numbers in the IPL aren't half as good. In 87 IPL games, the 34-year-old averages just over 25 and has a strike-rate of 127.
In the last season, he played 12 matches for the Royal Challengers Bangalore, aggregating 268 runs at a disappointing strike rate of 111.20. Finch's inconsistent performances ultimately led to his release from RCB.
When it comes to IPL teams, Aaron Finch has a peculiar record to his name. He is the only player to have played for 8 IPL teams. If either of the Chennai Super Kings or the Kolkata Knight Riders rope him in for IPL 2021, Finch could play for his 9th franchise in 11 years.
Which 3 teams can sign Aaron Finch for IPL 2021?
1. Rajasthan Royals
The Rajasthan Royals recently released their captain and top-order rock, Steve Smith. Despite the presence of a solid English core of Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, and Jofra Archer, the Royals ended their IPL 2020 at the bottom of the table.
One of the reasons behind the dismal performance was instability at the top of the order. They tried as many as 5 opening combinations, and none of them seemed to work before they finally settled for Stokes and Robin Uthappa.
Now that the franchise has traded Uthappa to CSK, Aaron Finch could be the silver bullet for their top-order woes. A Buttler-Finch or Stokes-Finch combination is capable of scaring any opposition bowler out of his wits.
2. Kolkata Knight Riders
The Kolkata Knight Riders, like the Royals, suffered from incessant opening woes throughout IPL 2020. Three overseas players are almost immovable in the KKR setup - captain Eoin Morgan, Pat Cummins, and Andre Russell.
Off-spinning all-rounder Sunil Narine has occupied the fourth spot for the past few years. But his meager returns with the bat and the emergence of Varun Chakravarthy as a brilliant spinner last year has put pressure on Narine.
The Knight Riders could look for Aaron Finch as an experienced opening partner for Shubman Gill. The pace and bounce-friendly Eden Gardens surface will also suit Finch's style of play.
3. Delhi Capitals
The Delhi Capitals have one of the best Indian batting core in the IPL. However, two of their three top-order options, Ajinkya Rahane and Prithvi Shaw, were horrendous in IPL 2020. And it was ultimately the false opening starts that cost them the trophy.
The Capitals have recently released Jason Roy and have 3 overseas slots to fill. They can look to decouple Marcus Stoinins and Shimron Hetmyer in the lower-order and try playing Aaron Finch with Shikhar Dhawan at the top instead.
