Colin Munro accepts international career probably over but questions remain

Back at Perth Scorchers for another BBL, he believes his decision to play last year was a major reason why he lost his New Zealand spot

When he was omitted from New Zealand’s T20 World Cup squad, Munro said his career had appeared to be ended “not by choice.” He had made himself unavailable for the pre-World Cup trips to Bangladesh and Pakistan, but pinpoints his decision to play the Big Bash last season for Perth Scorchers – where he is returning this summer – as probably the defining moment.

That continues to leave Munro confused, given that Adam Milne was able to leave his New Zealand domestic contract to play for Sydney Thunder, but he is adamant he made the best decision for himself and his family.

“Yeah, at the time, to be honest I was very disappointed,” Munro said. “But now I’ve made peace with it, towards the back end my career, I can’t be too bitter.

“I’ve grown up a little bit, if this was 25 or 26-year-old Colin getting that information I would have been all over social media too much. Whereas now I’ve sort of just gone about my business and know that chapter is probably closed. And I’m just fortunate enough that there are some leagues around the world that I can still ply my trade and get looked after pretty well.”

“I’m pretty comfortable. I think the thing that probably hurt me the most was coming to the Scorchers last year and not playing the home summer. Then I asked about Milney [Adam Milne], he gave up his contract and I was sort of told that it’s comparing apples and oranges. So I just sort of left it at that.

“Financially for me, and it’s not always about finance, but when you’ve got two kids and you’re trying to set them up as well as you can, it was a no brainer for me to come over and play.”

Munro’s last T20I came in February 2020 against India. Since cricket resumed amid the pandemic he has played CPL, BBL, PSL and the Hundred. This year he is averaging 38.39 with a strike-rate 130.46 and has passed 1000 runs for the second time in a calendar year after his prolific 2018 where he made 1530 runs at 34.00.

“My records are there and everyone can have a look at it,” he said. “But since opening the batting three, four years ago, my numbers are really, really good. But it’s not always about the numbers, I think I also fit in really well to the team, offer a little bit of leadership, which would probably help playing franchise cricket where you go in as an overseas player and try and give back to that environment as much as you can.”

“It was a bit tough,” he said. “Especially when you see somebody that doesn’t open the batting but give credit to Daryl Mitchell, he batted really well.

“All the things that Gary Stead’s doing at the moment, and Kane Williamson, they are ticking off quite nicely. So you can’t really go up against them and say that they are not doing their job as well as they can. I watched a lot of the games because I was doing a little bit of TV [work] which was probably quite good for me. You’re trying to analyse the game and think about it more rather than just sit back and be a little bit bitter that you that you’re not there.”

He is still a little uncertain what role he will play for Scorchers this season but expects it to be either opening or at No. 4 because of Mitchell Marsh’s form at No. 3 for Australia in recent months. Marsh is likely to be absent for the club’s first two matches due to being part of the Australia A squad.