Follow UsMarcus Stoinis announced his retirement from ODI cricket earlier this year weeks ahead of the 2025 Champions Trophy, but he’s still ‘officially’ still available for T20I selection, having not stepped away from T20 Internationals.
However, the fact that he did not get selected for the five T20Is away in the West Indies, and now the ongoing South Africa series (while being fit), made many think that his international career is over.
These assumptions are, however, wrong. Stoinis revealed in a recent interview that he had clear conversations with the Aussie management, and together they struck a deal that enabled him to play franchise cricket instead of bilateral T20Is.
"The nature of it is that you can't select yourself in an Australian jersey, but you can sign a contract to come and play in the Hundred," Stoinis, who is currently representing Trent Rockets in The Hundred, told ESPNcricinfo.
"When this opportunity came up, I spoke to Cricket Australia, I spoke to Ron [McDonald] and we made a plan around that, really… When you're planning it in advance, that makes it easier."
Stoinis said that he and other Australian cricketers are ‘very lucky’ to have a head coach and a selection committee that is very understanding, and open to flexible arrangements.
"We [Aussies] are very lucky," Stoinis said.
"We do it very well in Australia. The relationships that I've got with both Ron and Bails means you just have those conversations pretty openly."
35 now, Stoinis is unquestionably pretty close to the finish line in international cricket, but he’s not done just yet.
“They say playing for your country should be the best time of your life, and for me it has been. But I don't feel like it's done yet,” he said, giving a clear indication that he wishes to play the 2026 T20 World Cup.