Dale Steyn likely to say goodbye to limited-overs cricket after 2019 World Cup

South African Dale Steyn has missed a lot of international cricket in recent times due to injury, but the pacer is in no mood to miss the 2019 World Cup.

Steyn sees the ICC tournament, which will be held in England in 2019, as a perfect opportunity to bid goodbye to white ball cricket.The pacer also wants to continue playing Test cricket for as long as he could.

"I will be trying to get to that World Cup (in England). But after the World Cup I don't see myself playing white ball cricket for South Africa. By the time the next World Cup comes, I will be 40," said the 35-year-old Steyn.

He expressed hope that his vast experience would earn him a place in the World Cup squad.

"If you look at the batting lineup, our top six have played 1,000 games, but lower half - from eight to eleven who are currently playing - not even 150 games. You need to draw on experience.

"I hope that will be my trump card when the selection comes to the World Cup. I may not necessarily play all the time. But I think my experience will help with me just being there," he said.

"When it comes to Test cricket, I would like to play as long as possible. I have finally come out of a cloud of injuries. I broke my shoulder and in my first game on return (against India) I landed in a foothole. It was rotten luck.

"It's quite difficult to come back from a broken shoulder, especially with your bowling arm. I feel that's (injury) gone and I am fit. I played two Test matches without an injury (against Sri Lanka recently), bowled at good pace and never went off the field because of niggles. It's a big plus," he added.

Steyn struggled for wickets in Sri Lanka and got one each in the two innings of the opening Test and none in the second.

"Wickets is something



that's not guaranteed. I am happy I came out 100 per cent (fitness wise). That's the biggest cloud I have gotten over, especially after the last two years," he explained.

About South Africa being hammered 2-0 by hosts Lanka, Steyn complimented the islanders for playing to their strength, relying on spin in helpful conditions.

"The wickets were tough to play on. Sri Lanka played good cricket. They played their cards right. Preparation was difficult (for SA). They came out trumps. Hats off to them; they played better cricket," he said.

He also backed the English county authorities for doing away with the toss and emphasised that cricket has changed so much there's no point in sticking to age-old traditions.

"There's been a bit of talk (of doing away with the toss in international cricket). I think there will be some for it and there will be some against it. It might not happen.

"(Cricket pioneer) W G Grace will be rolling in his grave if he heard something called the free-hit; a batsman can be out but he's not out and score four runs off the ball because it's a no-ball. Traditional cricket has gone out the window. T20 cricket has changed the game.

"If someone says it's (doing away with the toss) going against the traditional thing, he's blind. The game has changed so much; you have to keep up with the times. England is doing something really well. In County Cricket the toss is gone. You can look at the pitch as the visiting team and can decide what to do.

"I think that's a good way they are doing it, it might be the way to go forward - do away with the toss completely; When a visiting team gets to choose (to bat or field). You get to prepare the pitch, but we get to choose we want to do on it.