By Zainab Shafiq 
Marcus Stoinis remains undeterred by his exclusion from Cricket Australia’s central contracts list, vowing to push for a spot in the upcoming T20 World Cup squad. Stoinis’ stellar form in the 2024 IPL speaks volumes, with his unbeaten 124 (63) for Lucknow Super Giants against Chennai Super Kings a prime example. This knock propelled Lucknow to the top four and showcased Stoinis’ batting prowess.
Despite the contract snub, Stoinis downplayed the innings as a statement, highlighting his positive relationship with coach Andrew McDonald. He acknowledged the exclusion, stating his support for giving younger players a chance:
“Me not getting a contract, I knew that a while ago,” Stoinis said.
“[It’s] great to give younger kids a crack… I’m absolutely fine with that on the contract list.”
However, his competitive spirit remains strong.
“But on the playing front, I still obviously want to make sure that I’m there,” he continued.
Here, the IPL plays a crucial role:
“I started my career pretty much here and who knows I finish it here.”
Batting at number three due to Quinton de Kock’s dismissal, Stoinis paced his innings effectively. While acknowledging the presence of stronger openers in the IPL, he’s content batting in the middle order. His knock included six sixes and 13 fours, but Stoinis emphasized strategic decision-making over brute force:
“It wasn’t mindless hitting… there was a lot of thought process about who I was going to target.”
Meanwhile, Chennai Super Kings’ loss pushed them to fifth in the points table after facing their fourth defeat in eight matches. Stoinis’ dominant performance serves as a warning to opponents and a powerful message – he’s hungry for a World Cup berth and determined to remain a force to be reckoned with.
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Hardik Pandya under scrutiny for MI’s underwhelming performance in IPL 2024