Steyn to retire from white-ball cricket after 2019 World Cup
Dale Steyn © Getty Images
South Africa pacer Dale Steyn has recently hinted at his white-ball retirement, at a promotional event in Mumbai. He could bid his final adieu to limited-overs cricket following the ICC Cricket World Cup next year. However, the 35-year-old has expressed his desire to continue playing Test cricket.
“I will be trying to get to that World Cup (in England). But after the World Cup I don’t see myself playing white ball cricket for South Africa. By the time the next World Cup comes, I will be 40,” Steyn reportedly said.
“When it comes to Test cricket, I would like to play as long as possible. I have finally come out of a cloud of injuries.”
Steyn believes that the lack of experience in the South African bowling line-up could leave the door ajar for the seamer to take part in the global event in 2019.
“If you look at the (SA) batting line-up, our top six have played 1,000 games, but lower half — from eight to eleven who are currently playing — not even 150 games. You need to draw on experience.
“I hope that will be my trump card when the selection comes to the World Cup. I may not necessarily play all the time. But I think my experience will help with me just being there,” he said.
Steyn also talked about the recent debate over doing away with the toss. He used the free-hit rule as an example to prove how the game of cricket has changed over the course of time. He also
“There’s been a bit of talk (of doing away with the toss in international cricket). I think there will be some for it and there will be some against it. It might not happen.”
“(Cricket pioneer) W G Grace will be rolling in his grave if he heard something called the free-hit; a batsman can be out but he’s not out and score four runs off the ball because it’s a no-ball. Traditional cricket has gone out the window. T20 cricket has changed the game.
“If someone says it’s (doing away with the toss) going against the traditional thing, he’s blind. The game has changed so much; you have to keep up with the times. England is doing something really well. In County Cricket, the toss is gone. You can look at the pitch as the visiting team and can decide what to do.”
“I think that’s a good way they are doing it, it might be the way to go forward — do away with the toss completely; When a visiting team gets to choose (to bat or field). You get to prepare the pitch, but we get to choose we want to do on it,” Steyn opined.
According to the Proteas paceman, the Newlands ball-tampering scandal was a desperate attempt to bring the bowlers into the equation. Steyn slammed the concept of having flat wickets, which has become widely popular in the limited-over games recently. He is also against the use of two new balls in ODIs.
“The generally flat wickets in ODIs have taken bowlers completely out of the equation. Two balls — is ridiculous. You take the skill out of the game. I grew up watching Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis (former Pakistan pacers) reversing the ball. But now try naming one player reverse-swinging the ball!”
“Players are going to the extent of taking sand paper on the field. It might sound funny, but it’s a desperate plea for cricket to change. Players are getting into more trouble trying to make the ball do something.”
