Australian women’s vice-captain Rachael Haynes called time on international cricket Thursday after a decorated career spanning more than a decade. The 35-year-old became one of the sport’s most adaptable players after making her debut for Australia in 2009, batting in almost every top order position across all three formats.
Image Source - ICC
Haynes’ retirement leaves Cricket Australia with another potential captaincy decision to make, as she has been skipper Meg Lanning’s deputy for the past five years. Lanning has taken an indefinite break from cricket for personal reasons and is not guaranteed to return before Australia’s next match in India in December.
Alyssa Healy would be the most likely candidate to fill the role if required, after serving as Lanning’s deputy for part of last summer when Haynes was injured.
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“To all the teammates across my career, you are the reason I’ve played as long as I have. You’ve inspired me to be better every day, I’ve learned something from all of you, on and off the field. You’ve challenged me as a player, helped me grow as a person, and most importantly, made cricket fun.” Rachael Haynes said after announcing her decision.
Haynes played 84 T20 Internationals, 77 ODIs and six Tests, scoring nearly 4,000 runs across all three formats, including 98 on Test debut against England in 2009.
Image Courtesy - Cricket Australia