T20 life trumps Baggy Green dream: Lynn

Chris Lynn has all but closed the door on his one-time Baggy Green dream, insisting his current career as a Twenty20 mercenary is better suited to his lifestyle. 

Despite boasting a strong first-class record, Lynn has played just six Sheffield Shield matches in the past two years, and this summer he told cricket.com.au that due to his chronic shoulder problem, the idea of playing even two days in a row was fanciful at this point in his career.

As such, he declined a contract from Queensland Cricket for 2017-18, though at the time was quick to stress that didn't mean he no longer had ambitions to play for Australia in all three formats. 

Instead, the 27-year-old has pushed ahead with his burgeoning T20 career, which – in between injuries – has involved successful stints in India, the Caribbean and of course Australia across the past 18 months. 

Those performances have been reflected in a couple of lucrative deals that have since come his way: last October he signed a five-year deal with Brisbane Heat worth in excess of one million dollars; and just last week he landed a $1.86m contract with Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League. 

Lynn will also line up for Lahore Qalanders in the Pakistan Super League in February-March, and Trinbago Knight Riders in the Caribbean Premier League in August-September, playing alongside fellow 'Bash Brother' Brendon McCullum in both tournaments. 

"I want to play T20 cricket in Bangladesh, the Caribbean, India, Dubai, around the world," Lynn told Triple M.

"Ever since my best mate Phil Hughes passed away, it's, 'What do you want out of life?' 

"I ask myself that every day. Does it make be a better person if I've got that baggy green on the wall? That's up to anyone's opinion really.

"It doesn't matter if you earn one million bucks, 500 bucks. My old man never earned over $100,000 annually when I was growing up, so what do you want out of life?

"I'm really comfortable with the decision I have made playing T20 cricket, and I get to see my family more, I get to see my mates more and to me that's more important."

Lynn explained that his decision not to accept a Queensland Cricket contract this summer had to do with not only the direction he could see his career was heading, but the fact he would be taking a spot in the squad that could belong to someone else. 

"I actually gave that (contract) back to pursue T20 cricket," Lynn said. "I still had two years on my contract and they were going to keep it and just say, 'No, we value your spot in one-day cricket', which I was always going to play for the Bulls.

"I said, 'No, I'll give it back. Use that money on a young kid coming through who desires to play Test match cricket'. A young bloke deserves that opportunity. He can train every day, I'm going to be overseas."

Lynn only played five of the Heat's 10 matches in BBL|07 after suffering hamstring and calf injuries throughout the tournament, but his impact and track record were enough to earn him a place in Australia's T20I squad for the upcoming tri-series against New Zealand and England. 

The first match takes place at the SCG on Saturday night between Australia and the Black Caps, and in a sign of the times, Lynn looks likely to become a rare case of a player pulling on the Aussie cap without owning a state contract.

Gillette T20 trans-Tasman Tri-Series

Australia squad: David Warner (c), Aaron Finch (vc), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Ben Dwarshuis, Travis Head, Chris Lynn, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, D'Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa.

England squad: Eoin Morgan (c), Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Liam Dawson, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Dawid Malan, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, James Vince, David Willey, Mark Wood.

New Zealand squad: Kane Williamson (c), Tom Blundell, Trent Boult, Tom Bruce, Colin de Grandhomme, Martin Guptill, Anaru Kitchen, Colin Munro, Seth Rance, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Ben Wheeler. 

PM's XI v England Manuka Oval, February 2. Tickets

First T20I Australia v NZ, SCG, February 3. Tickets

Second T20I Australia v England, Blundstone Arena, February 7. Tickets

Third T20I Australia v England, MCG, February 10. Tickets

Fourth T20I NZ v England, Wellington, February 14

Fifth T20I NZ v Australia, Eden Park, February 16

Sixth T20I NZ v England, Seddon Park, February 18

Final TBC, Eden Park, February 21