Alex Hales, Temperamental And Talented, Retires 

Indian fans might heave a sigh of relief. Alex Hales is retiring. 

The England opener whose ruthless 47-ball 86 (4x4s, 7x6s) in the 2022 T20 World Cup semifinal, along with Jos Buttler’s 80 not out, had handed India a humiliating 10-wicket loss in Adelaide is leaving the game.  

Known to be as temperamental as he was aggressive with the bat, Hales announced his retirement from international cricket with immediate effect on Friday. 

Hales made his international debut against India in August 2011 in a T20I at Manchester. He wore the England cap in 11 Tests, 70 One-Day Internationals and 75 T20Is.

Hales scored 2,419 ODI runs at 37.79 with six centuries and 14 fifties. In 75 T20Is, he hit 2,074 runs at 30.95 with one century and 12 half-centuries. In Tests, he scored 573 runs at 27.28 and with five fifties. 

“Just a note to announce that I have decided to retire from international cricket,” Hales posted on Instagram, the preferred mode of major announcements for contemporary athletes. 

“It has been an absolute privilege to have represented my country on 156 occasions across all three formats. l've made some memories and some friendships to last a lifetime and I feel that now is the right time to move on,” Hales wrote. 

England went on to win the 2022 T20 World Cup and that was Hales’ final appearance for his country. 

"Throughout my time in an England shirt I've experienced some of the highest highs as well as some of the lowest lows. It's been an incredible journey and I feel very content that my last game for England was winning a World Cup final," he posted.

A controversial figure, Hales was not a part of England’s triumphant 2019 World Cup winning campaign because he was serving a 21-day ban for failing a second recreational drugs case. 

“A complete breakdown of trust,” captain Eoin Morgan called it. 

But there was never any doubt about his ability in white ball cricket. As India know only too well.