STEVE Waugh sees no reason Aaron Finch can’t emulate Australian great Mike Hussey and go on to have a decorated Test career.
A surprise pick in Justin Langer’s first Test squad as Australia coach, Finch is in line to make his debut in October, just one month short of his 32nd birthday. Hussey was 30 when he finally got his hands on a baggy green and went on to score 6235 runs at 51.51 across 79 Tests.
Waugh is hopeful Finch enjoys a similarly successful career post-30, and has backed the Victorian’s selection.
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“Mike Hussey didn’t debut for Australia until he was 28 (31) and became one of Australia’s great players,” Waugh told Fox Sports News. “That is a really good benchmark to follow and to aspire in his footsteps. There’s no reason it can’t be done.
“Only recently Chris Rogers came into the squad when he was over 30 so it can be done.”
Finch himself has set his eyes on following the same path as Hussey.
“That’s the plan. Hopefully if I get an opportunity I can take it (like Hussey) — that would be the ideal scenario,” Finch said at Australia’s training camp in Brisbane.
Eleven years after his first-class debut, Finch admitted he had almost given up on receiving the Test selectors’ call.
“I thought it was not now or never but … if it didn’t happen now it was less likely to happen down the track,” he said.
“It was a good call to get. I think my heart rate went through the roof.”
