IPL 2022: "There's 1 team I am missing a shirt from" - Aaron Finch reacts to record 9th IPL team signing

Australian white-ball captain Aaron Finch has reacted to his signing with a record ninth IPL franchise ahead of the tournament's 2022 season.

Finch started his IPL career with the Rajasthan Royals in 2010 before playing for Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals, 2011-12), Pune Warriors India (2013), SunRisers Hyderabad (2014), Mumbai Indians (2015), Gujarat Lions (2016-17), Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings, 2018) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (2020).

He went unsold in this year's auction, but the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) got him on board as a replacement for Alex Hales, who pulled out due to bubble fatigue.

In an interview with cricket.com.au, Finch was asked whether he has the merchandise from all eight teams he has represented so far. In reply, the right-handed opener said he was missing one but couldn't remember which one.

He said:

"Good question. There's one team I am missing a shirt from but I can't remember which one."

Finch revealed that he agreed to the deal before talking to his wife Amy. He spoke about how this call up is yet another in a series of last-minute decisions that have forced the young family to cancel their holiday plans. But he also said Amy was "very supportive" of his decision and would visit India during the season as well.

He said:

"I was at dinner with my wife and I wrote back to (KKR head coach) Brendon McCullum before I'd flagged it with Amy. Every time we plan a holiday, something has come up. In the last six years - obviously, the two with Covid made it a bit difficult - every time we've made a holiday plan something has happened at the last minute. She wasn't surprised but very supportive. Her and Esther (their daugher) will come over to India at some point (sic)."

The 35-year-old has not participated in just four IPL seasons so far - 2008, 2009, 2019 and 2021. The explosive batter has scored 2005 runs at an average of 25.71 and a strike rate of 127.71 in 87 IPL matches.

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"The ability to continue to train and play over there would be very important" - Aaron Finch

Looking forward to his stint with KKR, Finch said training and playing against the best in the IPL could be important for his career amid rising competition in the national team.

He remarked:

"The ability to continue to train and play over there would be very important. The competition is tough. I think guys continuing to test themselves, guys who haven't been over before testing themselves against the best is really important."

The opener is likely to miss the first few games of the season as he'll be part of Australia's limited-overs series in Pakistan. Once he arrives in India, he'll be competing against the likes of Ajinkya Rahane, Venkatesh Iyer and Sam Billings for a spot in KKR's playing XI.