"MSD and Faf have set nice blueprint for me on longevity": Marcus Stoinis

Punjab Kings` premier all-rounder Marcus Stoinis is determined to push his boundaries and extend his playing career for as long as possible.

Speaking to news agency PTI, Stoinis, 35, cited MS Dhoni and Faf du Plessis as prime examples of longevity in the sport, as both continue to compete at the highest level despite being over 40.

“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.”

“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.”

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Before the recently concluded Champions Trophy, Stoinis surprised the cricketing world by announcing his retirement from ODI cricket. Explaining that his decision was well thought out and was necessary to prolong his overall career, the burly right-hander stated: “Yeah, absolutely. I still am going to be available playing 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).”

“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. 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.

Speaking about the ongoing IPL 2025, Stoinis, who is now focused on representing Australia in T20 internationals while also playing in franchise leagues worldwide, shared his views on the ever-contentious Impact Player rule, stating that it downplays the pivotal role of an all-rounder in a match.

“To be honest, I think it does diminish the usefulness of an all-rounder. And it does mean that it`s very hard for an all-rounder to get into the team unless you`re used as the impact player. I would think for Indian cricket, you`d want to develop your all-rounders as fast as possible.”

Punjab Kings will take on Gujarat Titans in their season opener on Tuesday.

(With PTI inputs)