New Zealand all-rounder Colin de Grandhomme has decided to hang his boots from international cricket on Wednesday after being unexpectedly drafted to play in Australia’s Twenty20 Big Bash League (BBL) around the new year. The 36-year-old’s selection has been a crucial pick for the Adelaide Strikers in Sunday’s BBL draft presenting a conflict with his central contract with New Zealand Cricket (NZC), which was valid till July 2023.
In a statement regarding the same, on Wednesday, NZC explained that Colin de Grandhomme had decided to retire from the international game and had been released from his contract. His kiwi teammate Trent Boult was also released from his central contract earlier this month to allow him to focus on playing in the lucrative T20 leagues proliferating around the world.
Big announcement from the New Zealand camp 👇https://t.co/iLwDklCguR
— ICC (@ICC) August 31, 2022
Zimbabwe-born Colin de Grandhomme, who has played 29 tests, 45 ODIs, and 41 T20s for his adopted country over the last decade, said he was finding it difficult to cope up with the hectic international cricket and it was getting harder and harder in recent weeks.
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In a statement released by NZC, the all-rounder said, “I also have a growing family and am trying to understand what my future looks like post-cricket. I’ve been fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to play for the Black Caps since debuting in 2012, and I’m proud of my international career, but I feel this is the right time to finish.”
Colin De Grandhomme, who scored 1,432 runs at an average of 38.70 and took 49 Test wickets, was part of the New Zealand team that won the inaugural World Test Championship last year.
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Talking about the all-rounder, New Zealand coach, Gary Stead said, “Colin’s been a hugely influential part of the Black Caps and contributed to some of the team’s greatest achievements. While it’s sad to see him go – we appreciate he’s at a stage in his career where he’s looking to head in a different direction and we respect that.”
