Alex Doolan announces his retirement from cricket

Australia’s veteran wicketkeeper-batsman Alex Doolan has decided to hang his boots in the domestic circuit as he announced his retirement from the game of cricket. While Alex was a renowned name in Australia’s domestic circuit, he could represent the country on the national level in just 4 Test matches.

Doolan made his debut for Australia in a Test match against South Africa on February 12, 2014, but failed to impress in the first innings. However, batting in the second innings, the right-hander stitched a crucial 205-run partnership with David Warner and scored a stunning 89 runs. Brilliant form in the first Test resulted in the selectors giving Alex a chance in the entire three-match series but he failed to capitalize on the opportunities and was dropped from the playing XI. 

Later in 2014, he played a Test match against Pakistan but that proved to be his last outing for Australia. Speaking about Doolan’s domestic career, he played majorly for Tasmania and collected a stunning 6824 runs in 118 first-class matches at an average of 33.6.

His best Sheffield Shield season came in 2012-13 as he made a push for national honors by scoring 876 runs at 51.52. The 35-year-old also featured in 42 List A and 27 T20 games scoring 1336 and 409 runs respectively at an average of 36 and 17.

Alex Doolan opens up on his decision of retirement

Speaking about his decision of retirement, Alex Doolan reckoned that taking the call wasn’t tough as from the last three to four years he has been thinking on the same lines. The right-hander further added that though he was contributing to his team, it is time for the young guns to perform and grow in their career. 

“It wasn’t tough at all really. I had two weeks off over Christmas while the Big Bash was going on, and it was just a bit too good to refuse, so I made the call then and I’ve been very comfortable with it ever since. I’ve probably come into the last three or four seasons thinking maybe [it will be my last] you just never know. But selection definitely didn’t sway it at all. 

“Once you’ve reached over 30 and you’re no longer in the frame to play at the highest level you’re always on borrowed time a little bit. I thought I was contributing really well to the team but the team has also progressed to a point now where there are a lot of young guys coming through, filling those spaces and looking to take the next step as well, so you can’t play forever, and sometimes it’s just time to get out of the way and let the next crop come through,” Doolan said as quoted by Cricinfo.