‘England mei retirement trending hai’ – Fans react as Steven Finn announces retirement from all forms of cricket

England pacer Steven Finn announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on Monday, August 14. Declaring his decision through his county club, Sussex, Finn has been out of action in 2023 due to a knee injury. It is reported that the same injury now forces him to call it quits on an 18-year career.

“I have been fighting a battle with my body for the last 12 months and have admitted defeat to it,” Finn, 34, said in a statement shared by Sussex, his county club. “I feel incredibly lucky to have been able to play cricket as my vocation since I made my debut for Middlesex in 2005. The journey hasn’t always been smooth, but I have loved it, nonetheless,” he further added.

For England, Finn played in 36 Tests, 69 ODIs, and 21 T20Is and made his debut against Bangladesh in 2010. He dropped marquee performances in the 2010 Ashes with 14 wickets and the 2015 Ashes with 12 wickets. Overall, he finishes with 125 wickets in Tests, 102 in ODIs, and 27 in T20Is. “To have played 125 games for England, including 36 Tests, far surpassed what I dreamed of,” Finn said.

‘Cricket has given me a lot and I hope to give back to the game’ – Steven Finn

“I want to thank Sussex Cricket for their support over the last 12 months especially and for welcoming me wholeheartedly into the club at the beginning of last season. It really is a great place to play cricket and I’m sorry that I wasn’t able to play more of a part on the field since joining the club. Cricket has given me a lot and I hope to give back to the game in some capacity in the future. But, for now, I’ll enjoy watching on without wondering whether my body will be able to make it through another day’s cricket.”

“Steven has been a fantastic bowler for Middlesex, Sussex, and England. I have had the real pleasure of watching him develop from a young bowler on the pathway to being a three-time Ashes winner. In our short time together here at Hove, Steven has been an outstanding role model, a top professional, and above all a fantastic person,” said Sussex head coach Paul Farbrace. Notably, Finn played most of his county cricket for Middlesex and moved to Sussex only in 2022.

Here’s how fans reacted:  

https://twitter.com/KudosKohli/status/1691028233406578688