Marcus Stoinis stuns everyone with retirement announcement just two weeks away from the Champions Trophy tournament.
Marcus Stoinis stuns the cricket world after he announced his immediate retirement from ODI cricket, ruling himself out of the upcoming Champions Trophy.
The 35-year-old Stoinis will now concentrate on playing T20 cricket and is still available for Australia in that format. With a top of 146 not out against New Zealand in Auckland in 2017, he amassed 1495 runs at an average of 26.69 in 71 One-Day Internationals. He also claimed 48 wickets at an average of 43.12 each.
“Playing ODI cricket for Australia has been an incredible journey, and I’m grateful for every moment I’ve had in the green and gold,” Stoinis said. “Representing my country at the highest level is something I’ll always cherish.
“This wasn’t an easy decision, but I believe it’s the right time for me to step away from ODIs and fully focus on the next chapter of my career. I’ve got a fantastic relationship with Ron [Andrew McDonald] and I’ve hugely appreciated his support. I’ll be cheering the boys on in Pakistan.”
As a member of the 2023 ODI World Cup team, Stoinis was instrumental with the ball against Pakistan as Australia recovered from a dismal start to the competition and emerged victorious.
He did not obtain a contract from Cricket Australia last year, but he was selected to play in the Champions Trophy in place of Cameron Green, who was injured, and he only played one more ODI following that World Cup, against Pakistan earlier this season.
“Stoin has been such a pivotal part of our ODI setup for the past decade,” McDonald said. “Not only has he been an invaluable player but also an incredible person to have in the group. He is a natural leader, an exceptionally popular player and a great person. He should be congratulated on his ODI career and all of his achievements.”
After playing for the Melbourne Stars in the BBL, Stoinis recently played three games for the Super Giants of Durban in the SA20. He was injured in his second appearance.
After the second Test match against Sri Lanka, Australia is expected to disclose the many changes they will need to make to their Champions Trophy roster. Due to a back ailment, Mitchell Marsh has been ruled out, and Josh Hazlewood and skipper Pat Cummins are not expected to play.