Luke Ronchi retires from all forms of international cricket

New Zealand wicket-keeper batsman Luke Ronchi has announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket. Ronchi is one of the few players who have played international cricket for two countries. He has started playing for Australia in sporadic appearances in 2008 and 2009. He then moved to New Zealand and represented the Blackcaps in 4 Tests, 85 ODIs and 32 T20Is.

As per the reports in blackcaps.co.nz, Luke Ronchi will continue to play domestic cricket and in the T20 leagues. In essence, he will continue to play for Wellington in New Zealand and for Leicester in the English County. One of the key highlights of his international career was his superlative knock of 170 that had come off just 99 balls in an ODI fixture against Sri Lanka in early 2015.

He is an attacking batsman who can take apart any bowling lineup on his given day. He batted with a strike rate of 114.5 in ODIs and 141.33 in T20Is. Recalling his international career, the 36-year old remarked that the time he spent in the Kiwi dressing room was a highlight in his career. He thanked his family for constantly supporting him in all his decisions.

“It was a dream come true. I can’t think of a better time to have been involved with New Zealand cricket. From the 2015 World Cup campaign, through to the overseas tours of that time and some amazing games and series, it’s been a genuine highlight for me,” quoted Luke Ronchi.

“It would also be remiss of me to not acknowledge the incredible support provided by my wife Shaan and our children Brody and Indi. Cricket takes you away from home for long periods of time, and my family have been very understanding,” he added further.

Mike Hesson praises Ronchi

New Zealand coach Mike Hesson had his words of praise for Ronchi as well. He noted that the attitude of Luke Ronchi was very jovial in the team camp. He never showed reluctance in sacrificing his wicket for the team’s cause. Moreover, his work with the gloves was exceptional and remains underrated. Hesson wished Luke Ronchi all the luck for his future endeavours.

“We’ll remember Luke fondly for the energy he created in the field and his selfless attitude towards the team. He was always prepared to play a role for the greater good of the team; to do what was required even if that risked sacrificing his wicket,” said Mike Hesson.

“Luke was one of the best glovemen going around and I think that’s often overlooked in a game increasingly dominated by batting and run-scoring. He was a very skillful wicket-keeper, and a very destructive batsman. We’ll miss having him around the group and we wish him well in his future endeavours,” Hesson conceded further.