Cricket: Haddin says he has lost the taste for cricket

Australian Brad Haddin says the decision to end a 17-year first-class career was an easy one. Photo / AP

Wicketkeeper Brad Haddin has revealed a loss of hunger prompted his decision to retire from test and first-class cricket, but predicted a long tenure for new Australian captain Steve Smith.

Haddin, 37, said the decision to end his 17-year first-class career, which included 66 tests, was an easy one for him.

"Once you've lost that will to get up every morning and do those little things that give you the opportunity to play for Australia, once you lose that it's time to walk away from the game," Haddin said yesterday.

He believed he was leaving Australian cricket in good shape despite a raft of recent test retirements also including Michael Clarke, Chris Rogers and Shane Watson.

"It's an exciting time, I think we can cover all the retirements," Haddin said.

"We've got a great leader in Steve Smith and the best thing about Steve at the moment is he's on top of his game, so he's going to be a great leader for Australia for a long time."

Smith said Haddin had been a great mentor who had helped his development as a player and a person.

"He's been a terrific player over a long period of time for Australia, certainly one of the best team men I've ever been around," Smith said from England.

"I think there were a lot of instances where he got us back into the game, just from sheer will and taking the game on.

"He was magnificent at that, and I think a lot of keepers around the world can learn from the way he played."

For just a second or two the fiercely competitive Haddin threatened to show his rarely seen softer side yesterday.

His voice momentarily quivered when he thanked his New South Wales teammates and just when it looked as if he was about to brush a tear away, Haddin drew a chuckle by ascribing his brief show of emotion to "hay fever".

He rated this year's World Cup win - in which Australia beat New Zealand in the final - and the Ashes campaigns, especially the 5-0 home sweep of England in 2013-14, as his career highlights.

Haddin joked it hurt him to thank current England coach Trevor Bayliss, who he said had been a constant in his career along with another former New South Wales - and New Zealand - coach Steve Rixon.

Test offspinner Nathan Lyon said of Haddin, "He was by far the best keeper I've ever bowled to."

Haddin will play for Sydney Sixers in this summer's Big Bash League and in other T20 competitions around the world.

- AAP