I want to lead the attack: Finn

To those not on the inside, Steven Finn's return to Ashes stardom last week was unlikely as he was unplayable through three frantic days in Birmingham.

Deemed "unselectable" and subsequently sent home by the English administration during his country's disastrous tour of Australia in 2013-14, Finn's fall was swift and comprehensive.

In his column with UK-based newspaper The Telegraph, Kevin Pietersen related an anecdote that summed up Finn's state of mind at that time, and the questionable manner in which his problems were being handled.

"I remember in Hobart, when he was struggling at the start of the last tour, that I was going for a net by myself and asked if he wanted to come and have a bowl at me," Pietersen wrote on Monday.

"I thought we could have helped each other out.

"But he said no. He told me he was not allowed to bowl.

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Finn and KP in the SCG nets in 2013 // Getty Images

"He had been told he could only go to the nets and visualise bowling rather than actually doing it.

"But this management structure is obviously doing some really good work compared to the one on the last Ashes tour.

"It is so good to see that the youngsters are able to flourish and have been given a lot of freedom to play. Finny is still a youngster and it this environment that is helping him to free up."

Finn speaks after Edgbaston victory

Finn's problems began when then England bowling coach David Saker (now the Victoria Bushrangers and Melbourne Renegades head coach) attempted to resolve the paceman's issue of kicking the stumps in his bowling action – a habit that became so serious it prompted an ICC rule change.

The solution was a shorter run-up – but it failed dismally.

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Finn with Saker in February 2015 // Getty Images

"The short run-up definitely messed up my rhythm, my natural arm cycle and what my legs did and it was one of the calamitous decisions I made along the way," Finn told the UK's Daily Mail newspaper.

"But it wasn't (Saker's) fault.

"We were trying to find a way to stop me kneeing the stump.

"Sakes was the one who encouraged me to try a shortened run-up but he shouldn't be blamed for what happened.

"It has been me who had to sort it out but I wouldn't have been able to do so without trusted people like Richard Johnson (Middlesex bowling coach) and Kevin Shine (ECB fast bowling coach)."

Finn spent two years in Test cricket exile and now admits he was looking for an answer that simply wasn't there.

Instead, he had to go back to move forward.

Finn's fairytail Test return (restrictions apply)

"I was searching for a golden nugget of information to turn me back into the bowler I knew I could be, but as every bowler will tell you, there is no such thing," he continued.

"In the end it came down to teaching myself the things that came naturally before. You have to go back to the beginning.

"It was a long process and I have by no means cracked it yet. I have had one good game and I need to back that up now.

"That is very much what I want to do this week."

A smiling assassin of sorts, the 26-year-old is renowned as one of the nice guys of English cricket, joking that the nastiest thing he's ever done is "pulled a spider's legs off when I was younger".

As a consequence, his revival is a story that's been warmly received in the UK, and one the English – and of course Finn himself – sorely hope will continue, beginning with Thursday's fourth Test in Nottingham, as he shoulders a larger burden in the absence of spearhead Jimmy Anderson.

A look at the significance of Anderson's absence (restrictions apply)

"I've nicked Jimmy's place in the dressing room so there's a bit of pressure on me to take the wickets he's taken here," he laughed.

"I'd love to be a dead cert in the England team and it's a big ambition of mine to be the leader of the attack.

"My driving ambition has always been to get that place.

"At the moment I'm very much a support player but over time, as guys are phased out of the team, I will try to take extra responsibility when it comes.

"I want to keep building to the stage where I'm a name on the team sheet rather than a bloke with a question mark alongside me."

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