Healy douses rumours of Haddin's retirement after Ashes

Australian wicketkeeping legend Ian Healy has doused the rumours of an imminent retirement of Ashes hero Brad Haddin, saying that he has confirmed from Haddin that the player is not going anywhere at the moment.

The rumours, which have been doing the rounds since midway through the Boxing Day Test, were that the veteran wicketkeeper would be retiring from Test cricket at the end of these Ashes and that alarmed at the news, Cricket Australia (CA) moved quickly to ensure that they did not need to immediately fast track a succession plan.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the rumours further caught fire after Haddin was seen carrying his daughter Mia, who has endured a battle against the childhood cancer neuroblastoma, on to the ground on Friday, although those hints did not take into account Haddin's desire to play on until at least the 2015 World Cup and Ashes that year.

Stating that Haddin is not going anywhere, Healy said that as far as retirement goes, it would depend on Haddin's energy levels and his family situation, adding that at the moment, he could play on as long as he likes.

Haddin will be nearing 38 by the time Australia tours England in 2015 but is experiencing a renaissance, and Healy further stated that Haddin has taken the pressure off the bowlers as well, adding that Man of the Series is between him and Mitchell Johnson.

Australian captain Michael Clarke and century maker Steve Smith also remained insistent against the rumours of Haddin's retirement, with Smith saying that as Haddin is in the best form of his career at the moment, it is up to him whether he wants to leave the game.