Melbourne Renegades captain Aaron Finch vows to play more aggressively
Melbourne Renegades skipper Aaron Finch has vowed to play more freely for the rest of the BBL after his poor run of form. The Australian batsman also confirmed he would open the innings for the Renegades after coming in at No. 4 in the last game against the Adelaide Strikers.
The Renegades are firmly placed at the bottom of the BBL points table with only two wins from 10 games. Their next opponents are the Melbourne Stars, who come into Sunday's game with a confidence-boosting win over Adelaide Strikers, where they won by 111 runs.
Before the derby clash, Aaron Finch stated that he would have to abandon his timid approach and bat more freely. Speaking to the Australian Associated Press, the 34-year-old said:
"I've been a little bit timid in my approach at the crease. There have been some times when I've got out while being a little bit too defensive-minded and not looking to take the ultra-aggressive approach. I know when I'm playing my absolute best in T20 cricket is when I play aggressively. So hopefully, in these last four games, I can bring some of that back."
The Melbourne Renegades went through a woeful run of form in the ongoing BBL and had lost seven games in a row. They were able to break that run with a win over the Adelaide Strikers. However, they succumbed to another defeat after they beat the Strikers lost to the Brisbane Heat in their last encounter.
Aaron Finch's BBL season so far
The Melbourne Renegades have suffered numerous batting collapses this season. They have been bowled out for less than 120 runs four times this season. Finch has batted at the No. 3 and No. 4 in the past few games, but he is now expected to return to the top of the order.
Given Aaron Finch's experience and abilities, he has drastically underperformed in the current BBL season. In 9 matches, the Australian opener has managed 159 runs at an average of 17.66 along with a strike rate of just over 109.
It remains to be seen whether Aaron Finch's change of approach will bring about a change in fortunes for him and the Renegades in the last four games. The Melbourne-based outfit are more or less out of the playoff race as they are on 9 points, 10 points behind Hobart Hurricanes who closest to them in the points table.