Australia pacer Peter Siddle has retired from international cricket with immediate effect. The right-arm pacer ends his career with 221 scalps in 67 Tests. Siddle also played 20 ODIs and two T20Is, scalping 17 and three wickets, respectively.
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Siddle announced his decision on the fourth day of the Boxing Day Test, which could end today if Australia are able to dismiss New Zealand. The 35-year-old was recalled to the Test side for the ongoing Test but wasn’t included in the playing XI.
Siddle, who made his Test debut against India back in 2008, got the prized wicket of Sachin Tendulkar as his first scalp. He would go on to become one of the successful pacers for Australia and played a pivotal role in Australia keeping the Ashes urn in 2019.
He wasn’t in the scheme of things for the series but Siddle continued to toil in county cricket and forced a comeback into the Test squad. He was also preferred over Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood in the opening Test of the series.
“It’s always hard to know when the right time is. The Ashes was the main goal, to try and get on that touring party and be a part of that series. Once I’d ticked that off, I was talking to ‘Painey’ (captain Tim Paine) and JL – I thought I could have done it there, but the chance of getting one last crack if it came in Australia, too (have one more Test) at home would have been nice. To think as a young kid I wouldn’t get a chance to play, I’m obviously very happy and a bit sad,” Siddle, who was part of Australia famous triumph in 2013/14, told Fox cricket.
Eight years, two months and 10 days between wickets for Peter Siddle #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/Qb8HdBDGHW
— Dave Middleton (@Dave_Middleton) January 12, 2019
Earlier in 2019, Siddle made his ODI comeback after eight years and played his first ODI after missing 169 matches in between.
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Remembered for taking a hat-trick on his birthday, back in 2010, Siddle will continue to play domestic cricket and will also play county cricket in England.