Colin De Grandhomme announces retirement from international cricket after BBL fiasco

Wellington: New Zealand all-rounder Colin De Grandhomme announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on Wednesday. New Zealand Cricket (NZC) released an official statement, confirming the retirement of the right-hander. The decision comes after Adelaide Strikers had selected him in the Big Bash League (BBL) draft , but  NZC had stated that he had not asked for a No Objection Certificate (NOC). The Zimbabwean-turned-Kiwi cricketer explained several factors for taking the decision. “I accept that I am not getting any younger and that the training is getting harder, particularly with the injuries. I also have a growing family and am trying to understand what my future looks like post-cricket. All of this has been on my mind over the past few weeks,” the NZC release quoted de Grandhomme. Being centrally contracted with NZC, he would have been ineligible to play the BBL without an NOC from the board, but they released him from the central contract after announcing his retirement. What also surprised his selection in the draft was the fact that his name wasn’t among the list of players declared as available.

BLACKCAPS and @ndcricket all-rounder Colin de Grandhomme has announced his retirement from international cricket. #CricketNation https://t.co/IfY45v2Wbj

— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) August 31, 2022

De Grandhomme departs from the international arena after 29 Tests, 45 ODIs, and 41 T20Is for the Kiwis. He registered 1,432 runs in Tests at an average of 38.70, including two centuries against West Indies and South Africa. He also scalped 49 wickets at 32.95 in his short but effective career. “I’ve been fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to play for the BLACKCAPS since debuting in 2012 and I’m proud of my international career - but I feel this is the right time to finish,” De Grandhomme added. In the shorter formats, he ended up with 742 runs and 30 wickets in ODIs, playing an influential role at the 2019 ICC World Cup where his side was the runner-up; and scored 505 runs in T20Is, alongside 12 wickets. “I’ve loved being part of this team over the past decade and am grateful for the experiences we’ve shared together. I’ve made many lasting friendships with teammates, coaching staff, and opponents, and will treasure the memories for the rest of my life,” De Grandhomme said. The all-rounder has also expressed his desire to play domestic cricket. New Zealand Coach Gary Stead expressed mixed feelings at the retirement announcement. He said, “Colin’s a great team man and we will certainly miss his character around the dressing room. “While it’s sad to see him go - we appreciate he’s at a stage in his career where he’s looking to head in a different direction and we respect that. We wish him all the best with his future and hope to see him featuring on the New Zealand domestic scene when available.” Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.