Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis remains resolute in his desire to represent his country beyond the upcoming T20 World Cup, even after being omitted from Cricket Australia’s list of central contracts. Stoinis is anticipated to be included in Australia’s World Cup squad for the tournament to be held in the West Indies and the United States. His blistering century for the Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League on Tuesday served as a testament to his enduring quality. The 34-year-old hammered an unbeaten 124 off just 63 deliveries, propelling Lucknow to a six-wicket victory over the Chennai Super Kings and into the top four of the tournament standings. Adjudged as the Player of the Match, Stoinis refrained from labeling his performance as a statement knock and highlighted his positive rapport with Australian coach Andrew McDonald. “The decision not to offer me a contract was something I was aware of for a while,” Stoinis remarked following Lucknow’s fifth victory in eight matches. “I believe it’s a positive step to provide opportunities for emerging players to fill my position. I’m completely at ease with this decision on the contract list. However, on the playing front, I remain committed to ensuring my presence in the team. That’s one of the reasons why this competition (the IPL) is so valuable, especially to me.
I essentially launched my career here, and who knows, I might even end it here.” Stoinis was promoted to the number three batting position after Lucknow lost Quinton de Kock in the opening over, enabling him to pace his innings shrewdly. “In this competition, there are numerous batters better suited to opening than I am, so I’ll allow them to fulfill that role,” he stated. “It’s certainly advantageous to come in early and construct an innings, but I’ve found my niche in the middle order.” Stoinis’s knock comprised six towering sixes and 13 boundaries, but he emphasized that it wasn’t merely a case of mindless hitting. “There was a natural ebb and flow throughout the innings. There were certain bowlers we targeted, while against others, we adopted a more cautious approach.” Five-time IPL champions Chennai slipped to fifth position following their fourth defeat in eight matches.
