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Ageless Hogg regrets short-lived retirement

The evergreen spinner says he hopes he's still playing at 50-years-old and discusses fellow tweakers Adam Zampa and Sunil Narine

Given the level of enthusiasm with which he still plays the game, it’s hard to imagine Brad Hogg ever actually retired from cricket – and the man himself says he regrets making that decision back in 2008.

Hogg’s trademark energy is showing no signs of wearing off, with the 45-year old snaring 3-19 in the Kolkata Knight Riders’ Indian Premier League opening match win over the Delhi Daredevils on Sunday, and celebrating each wicket with vigour

WATCH: Hogg, Hastings star in Delhi demolition

In 2008, the rubber-wristed Western Australian was still a fixture in Australia’s ODI team and had played three Tests against India earlier that summer. His retirement, aged 37, caught many observers off-guard.

But, plucked from grade cricket to play for the Perth Scorchers in BBL|01 at age 40, those same observers may have seen Hogg’s comeback akin to just another ageing rock-star turning up for one ‘final’ show.

Now 45, he’s still ripping his leg-spinner, bamboozling the best with his wrong’un and playing with the flair of a man with half his years, something for which he credits wife Cheryl.

“It’s good to be playing the game with (a partner in support) who’s pushing you to go as far as you want,” Hogg said.

“There’s talk about me (and) when I’m going to stop and she just says ‘play as long as you possibly can’.

“We’re going to try get there to fifty.”

WATCH: Hogg deceives Green with classic wrong'un in BBL|05

All things considered, few would be surprised if the enigmatic Hogg achieves the half-century milestone.

It’s remarkable to think he made his first-class debut more than two decades ago, in 1993, playing as a middle-order batsman for Western Australia, with Geoff Marsh the captain and Stuart MacGill their specialist spinner.

His left-arm Chinamen deliveries saw him selected for a one-off Test against India in 1996 and he played seven ODIs that year but it wasn’t until 2003, following Shane Warne’s retirement, that he nailed a spot down in Australia’s limited-overs side.

Between his return to national colours and his retirement in 2008, he claimed 153 ODI wickets at 25.94 and played a key role in Australia’s 2003 and 2007 World Cup-winning teams, in addition to playing seven more Tests.

Image Id: ~/media/09490A71790E405096F8F0D369B772AC Image Caption: Hogg, Adam Gilchrist and Damien Martyn after the 2003 World Cup victory // Getty

Hogg admits he has misgivings over his short-lived retirement, explaining that personal issues with his former wife clouded his judgement.

“I do regret retiring back in 2008,” he said. “I had a Test berth for Australia at that stage but I had some personal issues with family and yes, I retired there.

“I wish I didn’t because the marriage did not survive. Luckily it did not because I met a new partner and she’s wonderful and someone who supports me.

“I think it’s just having the passion of wanting to play. Everyone knows I retired in 2008, had about two-three years out of the game.

“I still have the passion of a five-year-old kid, when I first had that dream of playing for Australia.

“The game’s changed, it’s evolved. It’s given a new lease of life to cricket and it’s given a new lease of life to me.”

Quick Single: McCullum names Hogg among toughest opponents

Hogg’s status as a highly-coveted T20 bowler – he’s had stints in domestic leagues in South Africa, England, the West Indies, as well in Australia and India – defies not just his age, but also his craft.

Few Australian spinners are in demand like Hogg. Adam Zampa is the only other slow-bowler from Australia at this edition of the IPL, while Warne is the only other Australian specialist spin-bowler to have played in the lucrative tournament.

Hogg’s selection in Australia’s 2014 World T20 squad was a testament to not only his agelessness, but also the lack of spin options in the country.

Image Id: ~/media/E42A2D2E30C2445AA17EC69D4DC1CD34 Image Caption: Hogg and Warne at training during the 2014 World T20 // Getty

Whispers that he was a contender for Australia’s 2016 WT20 squad once again highlighted that trend.

National selectors ultimately went for Zampa and the young leggie was a bright spot from Australia’s disappointing WT20 campaign in India.

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“I’ve seen him grow very quickly,” he said of Zampa. “He’s got very good mental strength.

“When you get to that level, it’s not about your skill but your mental strength and hanging in there.

“When chips are down, you’re hit for a six, you see the ball going past but you have the same attitude the next ball.

“He does not drop his head – that’s something I’ve learnt from him. He’s very good in that department.”

Hogg faces competition for his spot in Kolkata’s line-up, with West Indian Sunil Narine, a key man for the Knight Riders in recent seasons, given the green light by the ICC to resume bowling in the IPL after his ban for an illegal action.

Far from being threatened by the impending return of Narine (who missed Kolkata’s opening match after flying home to Trinidad due to his father’s death), Hogg stressed the importance of remaining upbeat regardless of whether he’s in the XI or not.

WATCH: Hoggy calls on fan support ... literally

“He’s a class act, he’s got the skill,” he said of Narine. “He was sorely missed through that World Twenty20 (for the West Indies). It’s great to have him back.

“If I’m not playing and he takes my spot, I still have to create the energy in the changing room and make sure everyone is up for the challenge.

“It doesn’t matter whether you’re playing or not, you still can play a part.

“It’s good having myself and Sunil putting the pressure on, and when we put pressure on each other to perform. It’s good and respectful competition between us.”

Hogg insists Narine is now bowling within the ICC’s permitted 15 degrees of flexibility and had an interesting anecdote from catching the mystery spinner’s deliveries at training.

“I remember taking some balls from him (at training) and his action was perfect,” Hogg said. “We all know he can do it without the restriction, he can do it legitimately.

“Let me tell you I was struggling to pick him up from other end when he was bowling the doosra – I thought it was going the other way.”

Image Id: ~/media/8A69E289C1A44F93BF0D428F74A32B20