Brad Hodge announces retirement from all forms of cricket
Former Australian batsman Brad Hodge on Sunday announced retirement from all forms of cricket. The 43-year-old right-handed batsman made the call following complications he suffered due to appendicitis.
Hodge was quoted as saying by News Corp, “This will be the end of the road. I’ll represent (Melbourne club) East Sandringham in the finals and that will be it for my cricket career.”
Hodge had pulled out from Melbourne Renegades’ squad in the latter stages of the Big Bash League 2017-18 due to health-related issues.
He played six Tests, 25 ODIs and 15 T20Is for Australia from 2005-2014 and remained associated with T20 tournaments such as BBL and the Indian Premier League (IPL). His last assignment in the IPL was with the now-defunct Gujarat Lions as their head coach.
The Victorian cricketer had spent three days in a Canberra hospital, where he got his burst appendix removed, reported cricket.com.au. However, an infection caused post his operation landed Hodge in hospital again for another surgery.
“Technology now keeps you up and about, but (the doctor) stated that 30-40 years ago it could have been the end of the road,” he said.
“Time-wise for me, I was probably fortunate I went in (to hospital) on the Saturday in Melbourne. If I’d left it another 24 hours it could have been a lot worse. The surgeon didn’t paint a great picture of what was happening inside there,” he added.
At the start of the Australian summer, Hodge had hoped to continue playing. “It’s a good fun time, I love being involved and I really look forward to it,” he was quoted as saying by bigbash.com.au.
“My thoughts on playing are if you can’t make an impact, then don’t play. If I can’t do what I have to do on the field, then I’ll walk off and pack it in,” he added.
Despite averaging 55.88, Hodge did not get enough chances in an extremely competitive Australian side which ruled the roost last decade. He played six Tests and converted his only Test century into a double hundred — 203 not out against South Africa at Perth in December 2005.
In 25 ODIs, Hodge scored 575 runs at 30.26 with one century and three fifties. He made 183 runs in 15 T20Is at 26.14.
Hodge played an overall 223 First-Class matches, scoring 17.084 runs at 48.81 with 51 tons and 64 fifties. In 251 List-A games, Hodge averaged 43.25 scoring 9,127 runs.
His record in T20 cricket is equally impressive, scoring 7,406 runs — sixth highest overall — at 36.84 with two hundreds and 48 half-centuries.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/cric...-of-cricket/story-m476iZcXnbLEV6QVkhYAnO.html