Finch backs T20-focused national selector push

Australia's white-ball captain Aaron Finch has backed the push for Greg Chappell’s replacement on the National Selection Panel to be more focused on the shortest form of the game.

Finch will captain his country in six T20I's against Sri Lanka and Pakistan that commence later this month as Australia begin to fine-tune plans for next year’s T20 World Cup to be held on their home soil.

Cricket Australia CEO Kevin Roberts recently suggested Chappell's successor as a men’s selector would have a greater pedigree in T20 cricket, a notion which Finch supports.

"It is not a bad idea, absolutely," Finch said. "The more time and effort that can be put into it (will be beneficial).

"I think with the T20 World Cup coming up it is going to be of extra importance.

"It is a trophy that has eluded us so far and we probably haven’t brought out the best in terms of making the semi-finals in the last couple of World T20s."

Australia are scheduled to play 21 international T20s between now and the World Cup getting underway in October next year.

One-off or two-off T20Is have been shoehorned into series in the past, with Australia rarely having the opportunity to field a full-strength side in those games given the demands of the other formats and priority placed on winning this year’s 50-over World Cup. 

But with a handful of three-match T20 series to be played in the coming months – both at home and abroad – Australia look set to get ample opportunity to shape a strong XI.

Finch admits he has found it difficult in the past to obtain consistency with the players, but remains hopeful this will change in the lead-up to next year's showcase tournament.

"It is probably something that has been a bit tougher in the past to have continuity in the team for a long time because you are playing one game at the end of a Test series or one game at the end of a one-day series," Finch explained.

"When Pat Cummins has bowled the house down and he has played 10 Tests (it’s hard to select him) … Mitchell Starc is the same.

"We haven’t been able to have the consistency at selection so it is going to be nice over this next period to have some of that.

"We have got an idea of what a 20 or 22 player squad looks like, which we feel can take us forward.

"We feel as though we have got a decent balance of players in and around that group who we can move forward with in 21 games plus a World T20."

Before Finch takes up his role as Australia T20 skipper later this month, he has a Marsh Sheffield Shield clash for Victoria against South Australia to look forward to.

Finch will enter that match fresh from a superb unbeaten 188 for his state in a Marsh One-Day Cup match against Queensland and the 32-year-old is keen to replicate that form during the four-day contest.

"I always look forward to it," Finch said of playing for Victoria.

"We always have some really good battles against South Australia so it will be good fun."