Brad Haddin announces Test retirement

Brad Haddin has announced his retirement from international cricket, becoming the fifth member of Australia’s vanquished 2015 Ashes tourists to end his career in the wake of the series defeat.

Haddin missed the second Ashes Test at Lord’s due to family reasons but was unable to win back his spot in the side for the third Test, a decision Australia coach and selector Darren Lehmann later said was the “the hardest decision I’ve had to make as a coach, or even as a player”.

Haddin will not return to state cricket for the NSW Blues this summer, but will play on for the Sydney Sixers in the KFC Big Bash League.

“I put myself in that position to not come back, my performances with the bat probably hadn’t been where they should be,” Haddin said last month.

“I made the decision for my family that I was unavailable for the Lord’s Test. We’re playing a professional sport and I understand the consequences that come with that. My performances with the bat over the last little bit put myself into that position.”

Haddin played 66 Tests for Australia, all of them coming after he turned 30 following the retirement of Adam Gilchrist. Only Ian Healy, Gilchrist and Rod Marsh have played more for Australia as wicketkeeper.

Haddin’s 270 dismissals as a wicketkeeper sits behind only Gilchrist (416), Healy (395) and Marsh (355) for Australia, while his 3,266 runs at 32.98 place him fourth on the list after the same trio.

Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland led the tributes to Haddin.

“His tenacity with bat and gloves was matched with an unflinching will to win which made him the foundation of a changing team,” Sutherland said.

“Brad’s strong performances and positive influence on the team were all the more remarkable given he was dealing with the serious illness suffered by his daughter Mia.

“He showed true leadership at the most difficult of times and proved a loyal deputy to Michael Clarke when appointed vice-captain from the 2013 Ashes series.

“Brad can be enormously proud of his contribution to Australian cricket on and off the field.”