McCullum confirms international retirement

NZ captain Brendon McCullum will retire from international cricket after next year's two-Test series against Australia.

New Zealand batsman Brendon McCullum

NZ captain Brendon McCullum has announced he'll retire from international cricket early next year. (AAP)

New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum will retire from international cricket after the two-Test home series against Australia in February.

McCullum, 34, will become the first cricketer to play 100 consecutive Tests when he takes the field against Australia in Wellington on February 12.

His farewell is set to come in the second Test, starting in Christchurch on February 20.

Star batsman Kane Williamson will take over as captain for the Twenty20 World Cup in India the following month.

McCullum made his announcement in Christchurch, where the Black Caps are preparing for the opening match of their one-day series against Sri Lanka on Boxing Day.

He had wanted to wait until the end of Australian Test series before confirming his future, but the impending naming of the New Zealand T20 World Cup squad, in which he wouldn't feature, forced his hand.

"I've loved my opportunity to play for, and captain the Black Caps," he said on Tuesday.

"But all good things have to come to an end and I'm grateful for the wonderful experience of playing for my country."

He added that it wasn't the time to reflect on his career, with a busy schedule, which includes a tour by Pakistan, coming up.

"There's a time and place for reflection and that's at the end of your career," he said.

"For now, I'll be giving all my attention to helping the team focus on what's coming up over the next few weeks."

The only New Zealander to score a Test triple-century, McCullum has also played 254 ODIs and 71 international T20 matches.

He made his Test debut against South Africa in 2004, two years after appearing in his debut ODI.

Noted for his explosive batting, he has gone on to score 6273 Test runs, including 11 Test centuries, topped by his 302 against India in Wellington in February 2014.

Since taking over the captaincy in all three formats in late 2012, McCullum has guided New Zealand to 11 Test wins to be equal second with Geoff Howarth and behind Stephen Fleming (28).

He also led New Zealand to their first World Cup final at this year's 50-over tournament.


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Source: AAP



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