Australian all-rounder Dan Christian announces T20 retirement: Details here
All-rounder Dan Christian is all set to retire from cricket post the Big Bash League (BBL) 2022-23 season. The 39-year-old announced his decision via a social media post on Saturday. Christian, who plays for Sydney Sixers in BBL, has had a highly decorated T20 career. He has featured in 405 T20s and amassed 5,809 runs, besides taking 280 wickets. Here are more details.
Here's what Christian tweeted
"Yesterday at training I told by Sydney Sixers teammates that I'll be retiring from playing at the end of the BBL season," Christian posted on Twitter. "Sydney Smash tonight, followed by our last round game against the Hurricanes, and then the finals. He added, "I've achieved things and made some memories that I could only have dreamt of as a kid."
How has Christian fared in BBL 2022-23?
Across 12 matches, Christian has aggregated 73 runs with the best score of 21* (vs Melbourne Renegades). The right-arm medium pacer has snapped up four wickets at 14.50. (BBI: 2/7 vs Perth Scorchers). He will have at least four more matches with the Sixers, provided the three-time BBL winners finish in the top two of the BBL standings. Sixers are currently second-placed, behind table-toppers Scorchers.
Christian seeks his 10th T20 honor
Christian lifted the 2010 England T20 Cup with Hampshire. He won Twenty20 Big Bash with South Australia (2011), before winning BBL with Brisbane Heat (2013), Renegades (2019), and Sixers (2021). Christian has won T20 Blast twice with Notts Outlaws (2017 and 2020). He won Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2017 with Trinbago Knight Riders while winning SA Super League 2018 with Jozi Stars.
A highly impactful player!
Christian had an emphatic run as he led Renegades and Sixers to titles in BBL 2018-19 and 2020-21, respectively. In 2018-19, he tallied 254 runs and 15 wickets. In 2020-21, he managed 272 runs while striking at 180-plus. He also garnered 15 wickets. He was also a part of the Royal Challengers Bangalore in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021, where they reached the playoffs.
A unique feat for Christian
As per Opta, Christian is the only player to have aggregated 2,000-plus runs (2,082) and taken 90-plus wickets (93) in the history of BBL.
Christian's performance in international cricket
Christian featured in 20 ODIs and 23 T20Is for Australia. Christian scored 118 runs in T20Is and also took 13 wickets. His last international appearance was in a T20I match against Bangladesh in August 2021. He was also named as a reserve in Australia's squad for the 2021 T20 WC. As for ODIs, the all-rounder tallied 273 runs and 20 scalps.
A look at his domestic numbers
Christian made his T20 debut back in 2006. He has since amassed 5,809 runs (SR: 138.17). He owns two hundreds and 17 fifties. On the bowling front, Christian has clipped 280 wickets at 28.88 (5WI: 2). He played 120 List A and 83 First-Class matches. He last played a List A game in 2021, while his final FC appearance dates back to 2018.
What's next for Christian?
There is a possibility that Christian might take up coaching roles in the future. Having played across the globe, Christian holds a wealth of T20 experience. He also worked as a coaching consultant for the Netherlands at the 2022 ICC T20 World Cup in Australia.
