London: English spinner Graeme Swann today announced his retirement from international and first-class cricket with immediate effect in Melbourne today. Swann’s shock decision comes a week after England lost the Ashes to Australia following a heavy defeat in the Perth Test to give the home side an unassailable 3-0 series lead with two Tests to play.
34-year Off-spinner is widely regarded as world cricket’s premier spinner, with 255 wickets in 60 Tests at 29.96 since his Test debut in 2008. But Swann has been under pressure to keep his place in the squad after taking seven wickets at an average of 80 in the three Ashes Tests in Australia.