SA pacer Steyn unavailable for this year's IPL

Dale Steyn

South African pace legend Dale Steyn on Saturday made himself "unavailable" for this year's Indian Premier League (IPL) but ruled out an imminent retirement from competitive cricket. Steyn, 37, played for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the latest edition of the IPL. The pacer said he wants to take time off from the game.

"Just a short message to let everyone know that I've made myself unavailable for RCB at this years IPL, I'm also not planning on playing for another team, just taking some time off during that period," Steyn tweeted. One of the world's greatest fast bowlers, Steyn also made it clear that he is not calling it quits anytime soon, despite playing international cricket for the past 16 years.

The bowler, though, had retired from Test cricket in 2019 as South Africa's highest wicket-taker in the format. "I will be playing in other leagues, nicely spaced out to give myself a opportunity to do something's I've been excited about as well as continue to play the game I love so much.

"NO, I'm NOT retired," he stressed. In Tests, Steyn finished with 439 wickets in 93 matches at an outstanding average of 22.95 and a strike rate of 42.30. In the one-dayers, he has so far collected 195 wickets from 125 games at an average of 25.9 and a strike rate of 31.9. Steyn played in three matches in the IPL 2020 for RCB and claimed one wicket. He last played in the Lanka Premier League representing the Kandy Tuskers.