New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum has announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket at the end of the home series against Australia in February 2016.
The 34-year-old made the announcement in Christchurch a day after his team won the Test series against Sri Lanka 2-0.
McCullum will not play the World T20 in March in India, where Kane Williamson will captain the New Zealand team.
He will play his 100th Test against Australia in Wellington from February 12 – the first player to play so many consecutive matches from debut – and retire after the second and final Test of that series, in Christchurch from February 20.
McCullum said he would have preferred to reveal his retirement after the series against Australia, but the impending announcement of New Zealand’s World T20 squad had forced his hand.
“Ideally, I would have preferred to wait until after the Test in Christchurch to make this news public,” he said today. “However, the schedule for naming the ICC World T20 squads means I couldn’t have managed this without causing a lot of confusion and speculation – something I was keen to avoid. I’ve loved my opportunity to play for, and captain the BLACKCAPS, but all good things have to come to an end, and I’m just grateful for the wonderful experience of playing for my country.”
