Todd Astle opens up on his retirement from red-ball cricket; eyes T20 World Cup glory

Astle played only 5 Tests for New Zealand.

Todd is now just focusing on White-ball game | Getty Images

New Zealand wrist-spinner Todd Astle has on Wednesday (February 19) admitted that his "heart wasn’t fully in" the longest format and he was “really stoked to have achieved” whatever in the format, therefore he decided to call time on his red-ball career.

Last month, the all-rounder, who started off his cricketing career as a batsman before turning into a leg-spinner, had announced retirement from Test cricket and First-Class cricket to “focus all his energy” on the white-ball format of the game.

Read Also: Todd Astle announces his retirement from First-Class cricket

The 33-year-old never clinched a spot in New Zealand’s Test side, featuring in just five Tests since his debut in 2012 with the last appearance came against Australia in the New Year's Test in Sydney.

Though, the leg-spinner had been phenomenal for Canterbury, taking 334 scalps including 13 five-wicket hauls in his 119 first-calls appearances since his debut in 2005.

As per reports in stuff.co.nz, Astle has opened up about his decision: “For me, I've played five tests over a seven-eight year period, but I've played 119 first-class games overall, so that's a heck of a lot of cricket over a 10-year period. I'd have loved to have played more, but I'm really stoked to have achieved what I have in the red-ball format.”

The all-rounder shared the Canterbury dressing room with the current Black Caps coach Gary Stead and he has been in touch with him regarding his future plans.

He continued, “It was a case of, if my heart isn't fully in it, then I didn't think I was doing myself or others justice if I was to continue on. That's where I had to be really clear with my communication with Steady [Gary Stead] and make sure things were lined up.”

As he is now solely focused on white-ball cricket, Astle is aiming to play a key role in New Zealand’s quest for their maiden ICC T20 World Cup 2020 title.

He signed off by saying, “In T20 every ball is an event, so you're trying to really get a read on what batsmen are trying to do. With leg-spin, you have the unpredictability of variations and my wrong'un has been effective. It's just trying to change the angle and pace and all those types of things.”

(With stuff.co.nz Inputs)

 
 

By Rashmi Nanda - 19 Feb, 2020

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