Dawid Malan, once the world’s top-ranked T20I batter for England, has decided to retire from international cricket at the age of 37.
Malan, who featured in 22 Tests, 30 ODIs, and 62 T20Is, is one of only two England men's batters, alongside Jos Buttler, to have scored centuries in all three formats. However, since the 50-over World Cup in India last year, Malan has not been included in any England squads. His decision to retire came after being left out of the upcoming white-ball series against Australia.
Malan made an impressive entry into international cricket with a fluent 78 from 44 balls on his T20I debut against South Africa in 2017. His true breakthrough, however, came during the Ashes tour later that year, where he scored his sole Test century, a resilient 140 off 227 balls, in partnership with Jonny Bairstow in Perth.
It was in the T20I format, though, where Malan truly shone, particularly after England’s ODI World Cup victory in 2019. His relentless run-scoring earned him a spot in the team’s 20-over plans, highlighted by a rapid 48-ball century in New Zealand during the winter tour. In September 2020, he climbed to the top of the ICC T20I batting rankings and became the fastest man to reach 1000 runs in the format, achieving the milestone in just 24 innings, all but one of which were double-figure scores. Malan also played a key role in England's 2022 T20 World Cup victory in Australia, although he missed the knockout stages due to a groin injury sustained against Sri Lanka.
Despite his success in shorter formats, it took longer for Malan to establish himself in the ODI team, which many believed suited his playing style best. His tendency to start innings cautiously before accelerating drew criticism in T20Is, but in ODIs, he thrived. Between June 2022 and September 2023, Malan scored five ODI centuries in just 15 innings, making a strong case to replace Jason Roy in England's 2023 World Cup squad. He added a sixth century during the tournament, helping England to victory over Bangladesh, though the team’s overall disappointing performance overshadowed his efforts.
In an interview with The Times, Malan reflected on his career, stating that he had surpassed his own expectations in white-ball cricket but regretted not having a more consistent Test career. Out of his 22 Test appearances, ten came during consecutive tours of Australia in 2017-18 and 2021-22. His Test average of 33.00 is surpassed only by Alastair Cook, Joe Root, and Jonny Bairstow among England regulars over the past decade. However, Malan’s Test career ended after England’s 146-run defeat in Hobart in January 2022. He admitted that Test cricket had always been his ultimate goal growing up, and while he had some good performances, inconsistency between those moments was disappointing.
Malan explained that the intensity of Test cricket, both mentally and physically, was particularly challenging. The long Test series took a toll, with his performances typically declining by the third or fourth match. Despite these challenges, Malan emphasised that his focus was always on winning for the team and that he never left the field without considering whether his decisions had contributed to a victory.
With his England career behind him, Malan is expected to be a sought-after player in the T20 franchise circuit. Recently, he played a crucial role for Oval Invincibles in their Men's Hundred victory, two years after helping Trent Rockets win the 2022 title. Last winter, he was part of the Sunrisers Eastern Cape squad that won the second season of the SA20 and also represented Multan Sultans in the PSL.