Australia’s limited-overs skipper Aaron Finch can’t wait to play with Virat Kohli in the IPL.
The batsman was bought by Royal Challengers Bangalore and is now preparing for the tournament to take place in the UAE next month.
The prospect of lining up alongside the India talisman is appealing to Finch.
“I can't wait to join up with RCB. To get the opportunity to play for a franchise that has some of the greatest players in the world is going to be fun.
“It would have been amazing to play in front of the home crowd at Chinnaswamy but representing the franchise in UAE will still mean a huge amount to me,” Finch told ANI.
“It will be my first time playing under Virat's leadership but something I'm very excited about.
“Having played against him for a number of years now in international cricket and IPL I know how driven and competitive he is, that something I'm looking forward to seeing up-close.”
Finch is also hopeful his own experience can help Kohli and RCB to Indian Premier League glory.
He added: “I hope that my experience will come in handy, being able to help out anyone I can during the IPL. If that means I can help take some pressure off Virat then I will do everything I have to.”
Finch also keen for more Test chances
Finch could meet Kohli on opposite teams when India tour Australia at the end of the year.
They will likely only do battle in the limited-overs fixtures, with Finch admitting how hard it will be for him to prove himself in the longer format.
He said: “I would love to get an opportunity to play Test cricket again, but realistically I think it will be very tough to force my way back into the team.
“Not having the opportunity to play as much first-class cricket as I would like to put the required runs on the board makes it a bit harder.
“The passion of Australian and Indian fans, along with an amazing history of close and competitive series makes it a marquee series. The pressures, the expectations, and the rivalry make it a brilliant series to be a part of,” he added.
