ODI World Champion Australia’s woes just increased just days before the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 gets underway in Pakistan and Dubai. Their star all-rounder Marcus Stoinis, who was named in the 15-member squad for the Champions Trophy, which starts on February 19.
Stoinis, who was bought for Rs 11 crore by Punjab Kings in the IPL 2025 mega auction last year, announced that he will like to ‘fully focus on the next chapter of his life’. The 35-year-old, however, will remain available for selection in T20 Internationals.
Australia have until February 12 to finalize their squad for the Champions Trophy 2025. Stoinis’s sudden decision may have been influenced by a hamstring injury sustained during the ongoing SA20, where he has been representing Durban Super Giants.
“Playing ODI cricket for Australia has been an incredible journey, and I’m grateful for every moment in the green and gold. Representing my country at the highest level is something I’ll always cherish,” Stoinis said in a statement released by Cricket Australia.
“This wasn’t an easy decision, but I believe it’s the right time to step away from ODIs and fully focus on the next chapter of my career,” he added, without specifying further details.
13th January – Marcus Stoinis selected for the Champions Trophy.
6th February – Marcus Stoinis announced his retirement from ODIs. pic.twitter.com/cXPmUnO1Rc
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) February 6, 2025
“I have a fantastic relationship with Ron (head coach Andrew McDonald), and I’ve deeply appreciated his support. I’ll be cheering the boys on in Pakistan,” he said.
Australia is already dealing with injury concerns, with captain and pace spearhead Pat Cummins facing uncertainty due to an ankle issue. Meanwhile, all-rounder Mitchell Marsh has been ruled out with a lower back injury, and pacer Josh Hazlewood is still recovering from a side strain.
The team will kick off their Champions Trophy campaign against arch-rivals England on February 22 in Lahore, followed by matches against South Africa (February 25, Rawalpindi) and Afghanistan (February 28, Lahore).
Head coach Andrew McDonald praised Stoinis’s contributions, acknowledging his impact on the team since making his ODI debut nearly a decade ago.
“Stoinis has been a crucial part of our ODI setup for the past ten years. Not only has he been a valuable player, but also a fantastic teammate,” McDonald said.
“He is a natural leader, an exceptionally popular figure in the squad, and a great person. He deserves recognition for his ODI career and all that he has accomplished.”
Stoinis, named Australia’s ODI Cricketer of the Year in 2018-19, played 71 one-day internationals, amassing 1,495 runs, including a century and six fifties. His ODI journey began against England in 2015 at Old Trafford, and he went on to be part of Australia’s World Cup-winning squads in both T20 (2021) and ODI (2023) formats.
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