10 Facts about Marcus Stoinis: The new kid on the block

Marcus Stoinis was just another proud Western Australian before the 2016 edition of the Big Bash League. However, seemingly, within minutes, Stoinis went from an average joe to the new kid on the block. A lot of hard work would have certainly gone into him becoming who he is, but his rapid rise from the ‘Bush’ to donning a Kings XI shirt in the IPL is nothing short of extraordinary. That said, here are 10 compelling facts about the 26-year old Western Australian.

1. Birth:

Marcus Peter Stoinis was born on the 16^th of August 1989 in Perth, Western Australia.

2. Groom them young:

Marcus Stoinis has played for the U17 and U19 levels in Australian cricket. He was also part of the Australian U19 team that played the 2008 edition of the U19 World Cup in Malaysia. However, the Aussies had a terrible campaign, finishing in 6^th position in the final standings.

3. The man who knew infinity:

Marcus Stoinis is neither a batting nor bowling all-rounder. He bats higher up the order and bowls at speeds in excess of 130 Kmph. That is far from medium pace bowling. James Hopes and perhaps even Mitchell Marsh are the only two other Australian players like him. He is a Lil Freddie Flintoff of sorts. He has also opened the batting on numerous occasions.

4. Whack em’ to the pulp:

Apart from being a top-order batsman, Stoinis has been instrumental with the bat. His big-hitting prowess saw him selected to play for Australia in the 2009 edition of the Hong Kong Super Sixes.

5. A Woolloongabba Baptism:

Marcus Stoinis made his List A debut in the 2008-09 edition of the Ford Ranger Cup against Queensland. He opened the batting, scoring a brisk 22 as the Western Australians conceded the match.

6. Keeping up with traditions:

The Sheffield Shield is not just another Mickey-mouse tournament in the Australian domestic season. It is part of Australian folklore. Stoinis made his Sheffield Shield debut two days after making his List A debut, once again against the Queenslanders.

7. Facing the old enemy:

Stoinis had featured only on two occasions for national side Australia, one ODI and a subsequent T20 international. Both these matches were played against England in 2015 at Leeds and Cardiff respectively. However, he failed to make much of an impact as the Aussies went on to lose both the matches.

8. Mis-aligning the stars:

After having won two Big Bash League titles with the Perth Scorchers, Stoinis made a move to the Melbourne Stars in 2015. He helped the Stars to the final of the of the 201 edition of the BBL, only for them to fall short of the Sydney Thunder and the heroics of Usman Khawaja. Stoinis failed with the bat which he more than made up for with three wickets with the ball.

9. Tryst with the IPL:

Stoinis’ first tryst with the IPL came when he was picked up by the Delhi Daredevils. However, he didn’t go on to make an appearance.

10. Coronation at Mohali:

Marcus Stoinis made his IPL debut in the 2016 edition of the Indian Premier League. He smashed a wonderful 33 off just 20 odd deliveries to help the Kings to a defendable target of 161. However, he conceded 27 runs in his 2 overs without picking up a wicket.