The Australian fast bowler John Hastings has announced his retirement from the first-class and One-day format after a suffering from injuries, the Victorian confirmed. However, he will continue to play the shortest format of the game.
Hastings was expected to miss the opening few matches of the JLT One-day Cup after suffering a back injury in Melbourne last month, but the injury-prone pace admitted that it was the last nail in the coffin.
While talking to cricket.com.au. Hastings said, “Trying to get back after four shoulder reconstructions, four major ankle operations and a major knee operation has just worn me down.”
“The body is just giving up and every time I try to load back to get back to four-day cricket or one-day cricket, it seems as if something else goes. It was a tough decision, one that wasn”t made lightly, but I”ve decided to give the two longer formats away and focus on T20,” the 31-year-old pacer added.
Hastings also expressed his gratitude towards all the Victorian teammates and all those people who have helped to reach here as a cricketer. Whereas, he felt there is something more left in him and he can’t wait to get back on the field for the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League where he was handed over the captaincy recently.
Cricket Australia’s executive head James Sutherland recounted Hastings as one the brilliant competitor. ” John has been a great servant of Australian cricket, and a player who worked extremely hard to be the best he could be, both at a national and domestic level, and we congratulate him on his achievements,” he said.
“He was a brilliant competitor particularly in limited-overs cricket for Australia and a smart cricketer who with bat and ball was always in the game and looking to play his role helping Australia and the Victoria Bushrangers achieve success on the field. While it is unfortunate that we will see less of John in action, we wish him the best of luck in his role as captain of the Melbourne Stars for this summer”s KFC Big Bash League and the future ahead,” the executive head further added.
Hastings has represented Australia in 29 One-day Internationals and nine T20Is. He also played a test match for Australia in 2015. In 2016, Hastings became world’s leading wicket-taker taking 29 wickets in 15 matches along with his teammate Adam Zampa and South Africa’s Imran Tahir.
