James Pattinson Announces Test Retirement Ahead Of Ashes 2021-22

Senior fast bowler James Pattinson has announced his retirement from Test cricket leaving Australia stranded ahead of the blockbuster Ashes 2021-22. His long relationship with a knee injury had a massive impact on his career keeping him out of many crucial games.

The 31-year-old fast bowler has been in the mix alongside Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood for the last couple of seasons. Making his Test debut in 2011, the right-arm pacer burst onto the scenes by taking a magnificent five-wicket haul on debut.

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James Pattinson has retired from Test cricket 😮

(via @plalor) pic.twitter.com/ogEPrz216q

— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) October 20, 2021

Although he came into the playing XI when one of three pacers got injured or rested, James Pattinson scalped 81 wickets in 21 Test matches including four five-wicket hauls. He also appeared in 15 ODIs and four T20I.

“I’d just like to play consistent cricket, wherever it may be” – James Pattinson

Meanwhile, James Pattinson recently flagged his intentions to step down from the national team if he wasn’t picked, saying he wanted to relax and enjoy domestic cricket.

“The hardest part as you get older is that you want to try an enjoy your cricket as well,” he told Cricket Australia’s website recently.

“You put all your attention into playing cricket for Australia and at some stage, that finishes. This year is a big one for me if I can crack in and try and get an opportunity at the Test level. If not then I probably wouldn’t mind just looking to try and enjoy my cricket somewhere towards the back-end of my career,” he added. 

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 “I’m going into it pretty relaxed and trying to say ‘you’re having one last crack at trying to play Test cricket and get a good run at it’. I’d just like to play consistent cricket, wherever it may be,” the fast bowler concluded. 

James Pattinson will next be seen in the upcoming Sheffield Shield games which start next week.

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