Finch signs late deal with ninth IPL franchise

Australia's white-ball captain Aaron Finch has been given a surprise late opportunity to play for a record ninth Indian Premier League team after being snapped up as a late replacement by the Kolkata Knight Riders.

Finch has accepted the chance to step in for England's Alex Hales, who has cited 'bubble fatigue' as a reason for withdrawing from the T20 tournament.

It's opened up a fresh opportunity - and another pay day of $268,000 - for the 35-year-old opener, who went unsold in last month's IPL auction.

"I would have loved to be playing, no doubt," Finch said at the time.

"But the make-up of the Indian franchises, there are so many top-order players over there that can do a really good job."

Yet this now shapes as yet another Indian adventure for Australia's T20 World Cup-winning skipper, who has previously played for an unprecedented eight different IPL franchises.

After starting out with Rajasthan Royals in 2010, Finch has since represented Delhi Daredevils, Pune Warriors, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Mumbai Indians, Gujarat Lions, Kings XI Punjab and, most recently in 2020, Royal Challengers Bangalore.

He's played 85 IPL innings in total, scoring 2005 runs at an average of 25.70 and a strike rate of 127.70, including 14 half-centuries.

Finch will be leading the Australian challenge in three ODIs and a T20I in Pakistan later this month while the IPL is starting in its bio-secure environment in Mumbai and Pune.

He'll be looking to impose himself in the IPL before going on to spearhead Australia's T20 World Cup defence in October

Finch was among the runs on Tuesday with an impressive lone-hand 67 for Victoria in a Marsh Cup defeat by Western Australia.

He gets his latest chance in the IPL because Hales has found life in cricket 'bubbles' too much of a strain.

"Having spent the last four months away from home in restrictive bio bubbles and having tested positive for COVID myself in Australia, I don't feel as though I can commit myself to another extended period within a secure environment," Hales wrote on Twitter.

"It wouldn't be fair on the team or myself if I wasn't able to perform to the level expected of me as a result of ongoing bubble fatigue.

"I am truly gutted to have to turn down one of the best opportunities of my career due to the toll that the last two years of bubble life has taken on my mental well-being. 

"I'll now take some time to rest and recharge ahead of the summer."