Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis announced his decision to retire from One Day International (ODI) cricket a mere 15 days ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy.
The 35-year-old, who made his ODI debut in 2015, has played 71 matches for Australia, scoring 1,495 runs with an average of 26.7, while also taking 48 wickets.
The main reason for his decision, Stoinis said, was the need to focus on his T20 career.
“It has been an incredible journey playing ODI cricket for Australia and I’m grateful for every moment I’ve had in the green and gold,” Stoinis said in a statement.
“It was not an easy decision to make, but I believe that the time has come for me to step away from ODIs and focus fully on the next chapter of my career.”
Australia head coach Andrew McDonald hailed the impact Stoinis had on the team and mentioned his leadership qualities, declaring that he had been a rock of Australia’s ODI team in the past decade.
With Stoinis’ retirement, Australia will be forced to alter their Champions Trophy squad2, while injuries to Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood also hurt the team.
Stoinis, who will still be available for T20Is, has also pledged his support for the Australian side in the tournament.
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