MUMBAI: Plagued by injuries over the last couple of years, veteran South Africa fast bowler Dale Steyn is aiming to retire from limited overs cricket after the 2019 World Cup in England.
“I will be trying to get to that World Cup (in England). But after the World Cup I don’t see myself playing white ball cricket for South Africa. By the time the next World Cup comes, I will be 40,” Steyn said at a promotional event, here on Thursday.
Steyn is hopeful that his huge experience would help him earn a place in that UK bound World Cup squad.
“If you look at the (SA) batting line-up, our top six have played 1,000 games, but lower half – from eight to eleven who are currently playing – not even 150 games.
You need to draw on experience. “I hope that will be my trump card when the selection comes to the World Cup. I may not necessarily play all the time.
But I think my experience will help with me just being there,” he said. However Steyn said that he would love to continue playing Test cricket even after 2019 World Cup.
“When it comes to Test cricket, I would like to play as long as possible. I have finally come out of a cloud of injuries. I broke my shoulder and in my first game on return (against India at Cape Town), I landed in a foothole. It was rotten luck.”
“It’s quite difficult to come back from a broken shoulder, especially with your bowling arm. I feel that’s (injury) gone and now I am fit. I played two Test matches without an injury (against Sri Lanka recently), bowled at good pace and never went off the field because of niggles.
It’s a big plus,” he added during an event org. Steyn however struggled for wickets against Sri Lanka. (PTI)
Backs England to win Test series
MUMBAI: In spite of terming the Indian team led by Virat Kohli as capable of pulling off anything, veteran South Africa paceman Dale Steyn backed hosts England to come out victors in the upcoming five-Test series because of their slightly superior seam bowling attack.
“Led by Virat this Indian team is capable of anything. I know Virat pretty well; he’s quite a determined character. Five Test matches is going to be good for one team and if one team gets on a roll the other team will be blown away,” said Steyn here on Thursday.
“(But) if I know Virat it’s going to be a hard fought Test series. The England bowlers are a little bit more skilled and that’s where the difference will be; that will be the tipping point,” the 35-year-old fast bowler told reporters at a promotional event for ‘GoPro’ hereon Thursday. He also felt that with the Indian attack likely to miss Jasprit Bumrah (for the first Test) and things will not be easy for them. (PTI)