Australian cricket is about to say goodbye to a familiar face as Kane Richardson is all set to retire from all forms of the game at the end of the ongoing Big Bash League 2025-26 (BBL 2025-26).
Kane Richardson has confirmed that the ongoing BBL 2025-26 season will be the last of the professional assignments of his playing career. The fast bowler is currently playing for the Sydney Sixers, and the BBL 15 Final on January 25 will be his last professional match.
Kane Richardson to retire after BBL 2025-26 Final at SCG
The Sydney Sixers will face the Perth Scorchers on the last day of the Big Bash League 2025-26 season, with the title on the line. He announced his retirement after the Sixers crushed the Hobart Hurricanes by 57 runs in the BBL 2025-26 Challenger on January 23 at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).
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After the Challenger in Sydney, Richardson stressed that he has given everything he possibly could to the game, and now he believes that this is the right moment to retire after enjoying a long and fulfilling phase of his life.
Kane Richardson was quoted as saying by Code Sports, “I feel like I have squeezed every drop out of myself, and it is the right time to finish such an enjoyable part of my life.”
World Cup winner Kane Richardson has today confirmed his retirement at the end of the current BBL season:
“I feel like I have squeezed every drop out of myself and it is the right time to finish such an enjoyable part of my life.” https://t.co/80XdHSCIUq
— Daniel Cherny (@DanielCherny) January 24, 2026
Richardson to stay connected with cricket after retirement
However, Richardson had already revealed his retirement plans in October 2025 by saying his body can no longer handle the heavy demands that professional cricket requires.
The Australian pacer was quoted as saying by the Herald Sun, “I dare say this will be my last year. It’s just getting really hard with the training loads the game requires. I think the last two years I’ve definitely battled with my body to play every game. I am not in that position anymore, so if I can play a small role, that’s what I’m after.”
However, even after retiring from the game, Richardson wants to stay connected to the game in some role, possibly through coaching, while enjoying a relaxed life in rural New South Wales.
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Richardson further said, “I’ve moved rural into NSW, so probably a lot of mowing and maybe some cricket coaching or something up there. I’ll still be involved in the game in some way and keep an eye on things, but at this stage I’ll be pretty free. I’ve got 10 acres, a little hobby farm, and I’ve got two young boys, so I’ll be keeping them out of trouble.”
Australia pacer Kane Richardson’s cricket story
Richardson has not been part of Australia’s international plans since 2023. His last match for Australia came in November 2023 against India. Between 2013 and 2023, he played 61 international matches, including 25 ODIs and 36 T20Is.
Though he never got a chance to play Test cricket. The fast bowler was part of Australia’s ICC T20 World Cup-winning team in 2021. In the Big Bash League, Richardson picked up 142 wickets in 118 matches, making him one of the highest wicket-takers in the league’s history.
Richardson also played in several T20 leagues around the world. In the IPL, he represented three teams, including Pune Warriors India, Rajasthan Royals, and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, but could feature in only 15 games. Apart from that, he also played in England’s The Hundred and the UAE’s ILT20. In domestic cricket, the pacer played for Queensland and South Australia.
