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Marcus Stoinis returns to Punjab Kings, inspired by Faf du Plessis and MS Dhoni, focusing on T20s for career longevity.
Marcus Stoinis will represent Punjab Kings in IPL 2025. (AFP Photo)
Making his return to the Punjab Kings, the Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis takes inspiration from the like of Faf du Plessis and MS Dhoni to help keep himself in good condition for a long career in the shortest format.
Stoinis took the decision to retire from ODIs prior to the Champions Trophy which came as a shock but the all-rounder remains intent on focusing on the T20 setup to ensure that he can keep performing at a high level for a longer period of time.
“Yeah, absolutely. I still am going to be available to play international cricket for Australia in the T20 format. It was just a decision to step away from one-day cricket, which, look, with the one-day World Cup still quite a distance away (2027),” said Stoinis when asked if he has made peace with his decision in an interview with PTI.
“I’m a competitor and I want to be playing for as long as I can. And I think that decision allows me to have more longevity and play rather than trying to squeeze everything into my calendar,” he added.
Stoinis backs himself to be at his very best when playing in the T20 setup but he also wants to ensure that his physical health is also kept in check just like a du Plessis or Dhoni who continue performing despite being over 40 years in age.
“T20 is my bread and butter…That’s where my skills are best performed,” added the all-rounder who returns to Punjab Kings after almost a decade,” he shared.
“I really enjoy the cricket side of things, but I also enjoy the lifestyle of being healthy, being ready to go. Someone like Faf Du Plessis, you see him at 40. He’s in as good a shape as ever,” he added.
“His energy is high as ever. I mean, that’s a nice blueprint for me, I think. And we’re probably pretty similar like that. So, that’s where I see my career. We’re in a great era to be able to play longer. Even guys like MS…(in) especially T20 that we thought maybe in the past was a young person’s game. It’s shown that the experience, the calm head, all that sort of stuff,” he concluded.
