IPL 2022 / Aaron Finch returns to IPL after one year absence as replacement for Alex Hales at Kolkata Knight Riders

IPL 2022 | Aaron Finch has returned after a year in IPL 2022. He has been included in the Kolkata Knight Riders squad for the upcoming season of the league. Australia's limited overs captain Finch has been included in the two-time champion KKR squad in place of England opener Alex Hales. Kolkata Knight Riders bought Hales for Rs 1.50 crore in the auction and Finch will also get Rs 1.50 crore at par with Hales. Finch did not get a chance to play in the last season and this year also he went unsold in the IPL 2022 mega auction.

Finch led Australia to the T20 World Cup win last year under his captaincy. He has so far scored 2686 runs in 88 T20 Internationals for Australia. He has two centuries and 15 half-centuries to his name. The Kolkata Knight Riders team will be the ninth team in the IPL with whom Finch will play. Prior to this, he has played in the IPL for Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Capitals, Pune Warriors, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Mumbai Indians, Gujarat Lions, Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore.

🚨 Aaron Finch joins KKR as a replacement for Alex Hales.

Welcome to the #GalaxyOfKnights, @AaronFinch5! 💜#KKR #KKRHaiTaiyaar #IPL2022 pic.twitter.com/3HnSyKogV2

— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) March 11, 2022

🚨 Aaron Finch joins KKR as a replacement for Alex Hales.

Welcome to the #GalaxyOfKnights, @AaronFinch5! 💜#KKR #KKRHaiTaiyaar #IPL2022 pic.twitter.com/3HnSyKogV2

— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) March 11, 2022

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have signed Aaron Finch as the replacement for England batsman Alex Hales for the Tata Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022, the BCCI said in a statement. Hales cited bio bubble fatigue as the reason for his withdrawal from the tournament. Finch has more than 2000 runs in 87 IPL matches. He will be joined by two-time champions Kolkata for Rs 1.50 crore. In IPL 2022, Kolkata has to play its first match against the defending champions Chennai Super Kings on 26 March.

KKR CEO Venky Mysore statement

Venky Mysore, CEO, Kolkata Knight Riders said, “We respect Alex Hales’ decision to choose family and mental health over his participation in the upcoming IPL season. We extend our best wishes to them. We are delighted to welcome T20 World Cup winning captain Aaron Finch to the Knight Riders family. He is excited to join the rest of the KKR team in Mumbai and we look forward to benefiting from his vast experience.