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Shane Watson retired from Test cricket after playing the longest and toughest format of the game for 10 years. But the returns, since making his Test debut against Pakistan at the Sydney Cricket Ground, were rather poor. Watson battled on for 59 matches and managed 3731 runs and 75 wickets.
However, the 34-year-old, who announced his Test retirement on Sunday, was once considered to be one of Australia’s most lethal weapons. He was after all the number one all-rounder in the world, who could bowl with pace and accuracy and turn games singlehandedly with the bat. But in the last two years, beginning with the ‘HomeWork Gate’ row in India and ending with a long time on the sidelines during the Ashes against England, Watson’s pride took a real beating.
“It has been a decision that hasn’t come lightly, over the last month especially,” Watson said. “I know it’s the right time to move on and still hopefully play the shorter formats of the game, one-dayers and T20s.
“I’ve been through a lot of different waves of emotion about what is right for myself, my family and most importantly, the team as well. There wasn’t really one exact moment, because I’ve been through a lot of different sort of mindsets: believing the right thing is to play on, to the next day to ‘nah, I think the right thing is to retire from Test cricket”.
Watson, who remains available for one-dayers and Twenty20 Internationals, played his last Test in the Ashes opener at Cardiff before being dropped from the Australian side who lost the series 3-2 last month.
“The past couple of days, for whatever reason, I had the clarity in my mind about what the right decision is. I just know that I’ve given everything I possibly can to get the best out of myself. I just know it’s the right time to move on.
“I don’t have that real fight in me, especially for Test cricket, knowing the lengths physically that I’d have to go through, mentally and technically as well, to be at my best in Test cricket, so I just know it’s the right time.”
Watson, who in Michael Clarke’s absence would have been the senior-most player in the Australian dressing-room, saw the likes of David Warner and Steve Smith overshadow him in quick time. While Smith was named Clarke’s successor, Warner was the automatic choice for deputy.
Despite his recent problems with form across all formats, Watson remains an integral part in Australia’s limited overs set-up. He was ruled out of the last three ODIs against England due to a strained calf but the team-management would be eager to see him return in shape for the Bangladesh series.
Since his 2005 Test debut against Pakistan, regular hamstring and back injuries have taken toll on Watson’s body and his stock has fallen considerably over the last couple of years.
Once the golden boy of Australian cricket, Watson lost his place at the top of the batting order and his bowling, which earned him 75 Test wickets and was once considered essential to the team balance, has also lost some of its bite.
Watson confessed he did not achieve everything he wanted to in Test cricket but added that he was happy he could give it his best everytime on the field.
“There’s a lot that I’m proud of,” Watson said. “The thing I’m most proud of is I’ve given everything I possibly can to get the best out of myself. I haven’t achieved certainly all the things I dreamed of achieving in Test cricket – average 50 with the bat and in the 20s with the ball.
“That’s obviously the dream as an all-rounder to achieve and obviously I didn’t get anywhere near that, but I do know I gave it everything I possibly can to be able to get the best out of myself. That’s what I’m most proud of.”
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