Australia allrounder Marcus Stoinis has announced his retirement from ODI cricket, ruling himself out of the upcoming Champions Trophy. The 35-year-old will now focus solely on T20 cricket while remaining available for Australia in that format.
Stoinis played 71 ODIs, scoring 1495 runs at an average of 26.69, with his highest score being an unbeaten 146 against New Zealand in 2017. With the ball, he claimed 48 wickets at an average of 43.12. Reflecting on his decision, Stoinis expressed gratitude for representing Australia and cherished his journey in ODI cricket. He acknowledged that stepping away wasn’t easy but believed it was the right time to focus on the next phase of his career.
Stoinis was part of Australia’s 2023 ODI World Cup-winning squad and played a crucial role in their victory over Pakistan. However, he played just one more ODI after that tournament and did not receive a Cricket Australia contract last year. He was initially set to play in the Champions Trophy, especially with Cameron Green unavailable due to injury.
Head coach Andrew McDonald praised Stoinis for his contributions, calling him a natural leader and a popular figure in the squad. He acknowledged Stoinis’ impact over the past decade and congratulated him on his career achievements.
Stoinis recently played in the SA20 for Durban’s Super Giants but suffered an injury after two matches. With his absence, Australia will now make further changes to their Champions Trophy squad, which will be finalized after the second Test against Sri Lanka. They are already without Mitchell Marsh, while captain Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood are also unlikely to feature.
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