Dawid Malan, the former world No. 1 in T20 cricket who achieved centuries for England across all formats, has officially stepped away from international cricket. At 36 years old, Malan revealed to The Times of London that while he surpassed his own expectations in the shorter formats of the game, he struggled to cope with the demands of Test cricket. Throughout his career, Malan played 22 Test matches, alongside 30 ODIs and 62 T20 internationals. It was in T20s where he truly shined, topping the batting rankings in 2020 and clinching a World Cup victory the same year.
Despite his successes, Malan was not included in the squad for the upcoming white-ball series against Australia and has not represented England since the 50-over World Cup last year.
Reflecting on his career, Malan expressed his regret over not being able to establish himself as a Test player. He admitted to The Times that although he approached all three formats with equal dedication, the intensity of Test cricket was overwhelming. The five-day matches, coupled with the rigorous preparation, proved to be a significant mental challenge for him. He mentioned that his exhaustive training regimen, combined with the unrelenting nature of Test cricket, left him mentally drained, particularly during long series where his performance often dipped by the third or fourth match.