Australian all-rounder comes out of retirement for Sydney Thunder

41-year-old Dan Christian has come out of retirement to help the injury-struck Sydney Thunder side after nasty injuries to Cameron Bancroft and Daniel Sams. The all-rounder, who hasn’t played any professional cricket since 2023, will join Thunder in an immediate playing capacity for the rest of the season. 

Christian hasn’t played the Big Bash League since the 12th edition, when the Sixers lost the semi-final clash against the Brisbane Heat. But the 41-year-old has kept fit with regular game time in the New South Wales (NSW) Premier Cricket competition. 

"I made the decision during the off season that a return to the BBL or any other T20 leagues was never entirely off the table for me," Christian said. "The body feels great, and I wanted to ensure I was prepared if an opportunity arose.

"The incident with Cam Bancroft and Dan Sams was extremely unfortunate, but I'm really grateful for the opportunity it's presented. I wish them all the best with their recoveries and hope they'll be back on the park soon."

Christian could join a rare club of cricketers if he makes his Thunder debut, to play BBL at 40 and above, joining Brad Hodge, Peter Siddle, Fawad Ahmed and the late Shane Warne. The all-rounder is a bonafide T20 legend in Australia, with 5825 runs in 409 T20 appearances while taking 280 wickets with the ball. 

"We're very fortunate to have Dan already within the club," said Thunder general manager Trent Copeland. "He's a legend of the BBL and we've got no doubt he's still up to the level. We can't wait to see him jump back into this environment and make an impact."