Australia's preliminary squad member for Champions Trophy 2025 announces early retirement from ODI cricket

Australia receive a big blow ahead of the start of the Champions Trophy 2025. Their star all-rounder Marcus Stoinis has announced his retirement from ODI cricket and mentioned that he will be extending his utmost concentration to the shortest format of the game from now on. He made his debut in 2015 and played around 74 games. This is the most shocking news for Australia as he was named in the preliminary squad for the Champions Trophy. 

"Playing ODI cricket for Australia has been an incredible journey, and I'm grateful for every moment I've had in the green and gold. Representing my country at the highest level is something I'll always cherish. This wasn't an easy decision, but I believe it's the right time for me to step away from ODIs and fully focus on the next chapter of my career. I've got a fantastic relationship with Ron (Andrew McDonald) and I've hugely appreciated his support," said Marcus Stoinis. 

Stoinis has played in 74 games where he amassed 1495 runs and scalped 48 wickets with the ball. He has been a key member of the Australian team and was present at the ODI World Cup 2023 as well. His contributions with the bat and the ball will be missed by the team. 

An exceptionally popular player and a great person: Andrew McDonald

Australia's Head Coach Andrew McDonald spoke about Marcus Stoinis and heaped praises on the player for being a valuable member of the team in the decade. Stoinis provided a balance to the team, which was much needed for ICC events. Now, in the absence of Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins, Stoinis will surely be missed. 

"Stoin has been such a pivotal part of our ODI setup for the past decade. Not only has he been an invaluable player but also an incredible person to have in the group. He is a natural leader, an exceptionally popular player and a great person. He should be congratulated on his ODI career and all of his achievements," said Head Coach Andrew McDonald.