Christian opens up on retirement decision

Dan Christian is three, possibly four games from the end of an illustrious 17-year career and although he didn't bat or bowl last night, he couldn't be happier.

In fact, he's only bowled seven overs this KFC BBL season, and faced just 64 deliveries (for 73 runs), but his role in the Sydney Sixers side has never been more important.

For Christian, it's always been about team success, and with his nine T20 titles across the world making him Australia's most successful franchise player, he's probably the one guy everyone wants in their team.

Add in his three Marsh Sheffield Shield crowns with Victoria since his top-level debut in 2006 and it's been an extremely successful career for the Australian-capped allrounder of 20 one-day and 23 T20 internationals.

And while his retirement announcement on Saturday came as no surprise given the 39-year-old also called time on his decorated career with Nottinghamshire in July, he could have easily played on if he wanted to.

With his competitiveness still intact – as was evident in his brilliant 19th over in a thrilling win over the Scorchers last Sunday – Christian revealed it was the daily slog of training to be a professional athlete that ultimately led him to hang up the boots.

"The competitiveness on the field is definitely still there, it's probably just been the training as much as anything," Christian told cricket.com.au of his decision to retire following Saturday night's 125-run thumping of the Thunder as the SCG.

"I've always prided myself on working really hard at training and trying to improve my game a lot.

"But this year that desire has just drained a bit, I'm not as keen to train and once I started feeling like that, I thought it's probably time to finish up."

In his retirement announcement to the Sixers playing group on Friday ahead of the blockbuster Sydney Smash where Steve Smith cracked a second straight century, Christian paid tribute to the influence coaching mastermind Greg Shipperd had on his career.

"Probably most of my career I've spent trying to prove people wrong, it's something I've always been motivated by along with winning competitions and playing at the next level," Christian began.

"Along with that is trying to be grateful and loyal to the people that have backed me along the way.

"And 10 years ago, I was out of the South Australian team (and my) career was at a massive crossroads. I thought I was pretty much done and 'Shippy' (Shipperd) took me on at Victoria.

"Six months later I was back in the Australian team, three years later I had three Sheffield Shields under my belt and now I'm standing here with 400 games of T20, nine (title) wins and something that I will look back on as a pretty successful career."

He'll be hoping to add a 10th T20 title to the cabinet by the time he finishes up, with the Sixers poised to take on the Perth Scorchers for a spot in the decider next Saturday.

Christian's experience in the big moments will be crucial in the Sixers' title push as they search for a third championship in four seasons and a record-equalling fourth BBL crown.

The proud Wiradjuri man who helped design the Sixers' First Nations jersey with Ashleigh Gardner says the club's current crop of players was up there with one of the best of the 19 teams he'd been a part off.

"It's right up there just given the consistent success that they've had," he says.

"My Notts team (who he has played the most of his 406 T20s with) was very similar, we had consistent success over the eight years I was there, we only missed the quarterfinals once in the whole time I was there.

"The best thing about this side and probably my Notts side as well, it seemed like we had a different man-of-the-match every game so there was contributions all across the board from batsmen and bowlers and I think that tends to be the key to having a lot of success in this format.

"We feel like we started a bit slowly (in BBL|12) but we're playing some great cricket again this year.

"I've loved my time being here and hopefully we can finish off with another win."