Dean Jones was like a breath of fresh air for the Australian team when he made his debut in 1984. A terrific batsman with great technique, he adapted early to the limited-overs format including the innovations of creative shots, quick running between the wickets, and ability to hit big shots when needed.

However, his 10-year career, in which he played 56 Tests and 164 ODIs, scoring 3631 and 6068 runs respectively with a total of 18 centuries, came to an abrupt end in 1994 at the age of 33. Speaking with Shane Watson on Lessons Learnt with the Greats podcast, Jones revealed what propelled him to hang his boots.

Back in 1994, the 33-year-old was included in the eight-match ODI series against South Africa. “I was in South Africa, they picked me to go over there and then they knocked off me from the one-day team,” he said. “It was 3-3 (4-3), we were playing the last game, everything was on the line, and Mark Taylor and David Boon picked themselves before me,” Jones recalled.

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He was dropped from the XI before the crucial final game and this led to him calling time on his career.

“I said, ‘Are you trying to tell me that you’re a better player than me, in one-day cricket? Really? Well, that’s it, I’m done.’ And I retired straightaway [he continued to play first-class cricket till 1998]. That was it. They said, ‘No, you got to go to Sharjah to play all these one-day series.’ I’m going no, I went on, (and) that was it. No thank you, no nothing. That was it,” Jones added.

“I just wish I had a few more people around me, my dad, and all. We could afford to take them on you know. Like this day and age, you have good people around you who make better decisions,” Jones said.

Jones, who won the 1987 Reliance World Cup with the Australian team, is currently working as a coach and broadcaster.