Steven Finn and England Show Positive Signs in Win over India

As wins go in one-day cricket, they don't get much more emphatic than England’s nine-wicket triumph over India at the Gabba.

Having bowled out their opponents for 153, unbeaten knocks of 88 and 56 from Ian Bell and James Taylor, respectively, carried England to their target at a canter.

The lopsided victory—coming with the small matter of 135 balls to spare—means Eoin Morgan's side pick up a useful bonus point in the battle to reach the final of the Carlton Mid One-Day International Tri-Series.

They also pick up a much-needed confidence boost after the heavy loss they suffered against Australia in the opening match of the triangular tournament.

No player in the squad needed a positive performance on Tuesday more than Steven Finn.

The last time England turned up in Brisbane for a 50-over game, the paceman was packing his bags instead of preparing to play.

Having been the only member of the Ashes squad not to feature in the disastrous Test series against Australia, Finn remained a peripheral figure at the start of the one-dayers that followed last January.

Such was his slump in confidence and his complete loss of form that he was sent home.

In announcing the decision, England's then one-day coach Ashley Giles said, per BBC Sport, "In the short-term, he needs a couple of weeks away. Steven is not selectable at the moment."

To be below par is one thing, but Finn had reached the point where his coach and captain could not even consider picking him in the team. The Middlesex paceman was struggling so badly that they decided it was best, for his own sake, that he was not even in the country anymore.

He was in such a low state that on the flight from Australia he should have travelled with a warning for airport staff: "Fragile—handle with care."

Finn returned home with his tail between his legs, sought comfort in those he knew at his county, per Derek Pringle of The Telegraph, and began to slowly rebuild—not just his action but also his self-belief.

The county scene offered him a gentle route to make his comeback, and his performances soon resulted in him easing back into the international fold.

Just over a year on, and the 25-year-old found himself in Brisbane again—the same city in which he made his one-day debut—but this time he was taking centre stage rather than taking the first plane out of there.

He claimed 5-33—his maiden five-wicket haul in ODI cricket—as India were flattened inside 40 overs after winning the toss and opting to bat first.

Finn picked up three wickets in his opening three overs to put England in complete control. Ajinkya Rahane was the first of them when he skied a catch to mid-on while attempting to lift his side's scoring rate.

However, Virat Kohli and Ambati Rayudu were both undone by rising deliveries, their attempts to steer runs to third man providing catching practice for wicketkeeper Jos Buttler behind the stumps. 

At 6'7", the long-limbed Finn has a natural capability to extract extra bounce from a good length, and while he may not be back at full pace just yet, what the speed gun says is really irrelevant.

If he is able to probe the right areas of the pitch, Finn will always be a handful for even the best players. Glenn McGrath did not need to be express to finish his career with over 900 international wickets.

The key for both Finn and England is to make sure he can replicate this performance moving forward, not just for the rest of this series but also for the World Cup and beyond.

Playing a major tournament in Australia and New Zealand should help Finn, who has not played a Test since the English summer of 2013.

The presence of James Anderson—who marked his comeback from injury by taking 4-18 in his first ODI appearance since last September—and the presence of Stuart Broad should also aid Finn.

England's senior seamers have returned to fitness just in time to bolster the options available to captain Morgan. With Chris Woakes continuing to grow in stature and the raw but talented Chris Jordan also in the 15-man squad, the new skipper has a battery of fast bowlers at his disposal.

While he has opened up with the white ball before, Finn seems to be earmarked for a role in the middle stages of an innings at present.

He can provide a serious threat to opponents outside of the powerplay overs—there is no better way for a fielding team to slow down the scoring rate than taking wickets.

For now, though, Finn should take great comfort in the strength of character he has shown to fight back from such a devastating low in a career that has already included plenty of peaks and troughs.

He said at the post-match presentation, "There's a few bad memories of Australia from last year, but I'm glad we've won this game and I helped to do it."

Finn must now focus on finding consistency. However—no matter what else happens during the tour—he can at least look back and reflect on a more positive trip to Brisbane. What a difference a year makes.