Two-time Big Bash winner Gurinder Sandhu will rejoin the Sydney Thunder to fill the franchise's last roster spot ahead of Monday's season opener against the Brisbane Heat at Manuka Oval.
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The fourth-most capped player in franchise history returns for new head coach Trevor Bayliss after one year spent at the cross-town Sixers, where he was part of last summer's title-winning squad.
Sandhu, who grew up in western Sydney, spent eight seasons with the Thunder before his move to the Sixers, and jumped at the opportunity to return home.
"I've got a little bit of unfinished business here," Sandhu said.
"I feel like I could just come back and really get back to where I have been, and where I can be on the field.
"There's a lot of people I've played a lot of cricket with. There's just a good vibe and a good feeling so why wouldn't you want to come home."
Sandhu adds plenty of starch to a Thunder pace attack already boasting Chris Tremain, Brendan Doggett, Daniel Sams, Ben Cutting and former ACT Comet Nathan McAndrew.
The Thunder finished third last season, but were knocked out by the Heat in the semi-finals.
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Bayliss has inherited a star-studded squad, and Sandhu said sensing their opportunities in games would be crucial to his new teammates taking the next step this summer.
"[It's] just realising when there's a big moment in the game and really going hard at that moment and trying to win that moment," Sandhu said.
"It's a really well balanced team, really good people.
"Hopefully when there's that moment where the game could go either way, somebody puts their hand up or the whole team puts their hand up and we go 'All right boys, this is the moment, let's go, let's get it'."
The Thunder have two practice matches scheduled for Thursday, before they travel to the capital on Friday afternoon.
Monday's clash with the Heat is the first of two fixtures in Canberra this summer. Sandhu's side also hosts last season's beaten finalists, the Perth Scorchers, on December 28.
"I was lucky enough to be under Trevor Bayliss when I first started playing for NSW," Sandhu said.
"He'll be really good for this group, just bringing everyone together and playing to win games," Sandhu said.
James Buckley
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
