Former Australia allrounder Dan Christian has turned into a replacement player from the assistant coach of Sydney Thunder in a unique turn of events in the ongoing season of the Big Bash League.
Christian has been the team’s assistant coach for the last two seasons but will now be available in the squad as a player as well. His last match in the BBL was during the 2022-23 season against the Brisbane Heat. Coincidentally, he will be available to play against the same opposition this time as well.
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Dan Christian turns a replacement player from assistant coach
🚨 BREAKING NEWS 🚨@ThunderBBL 41-year-old assistant coach Christian has been signed as a replacement player 😲 pic.twitter.com/ll81XorRuR
— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) January 5, 2025
The decision to include Dan Christian in the squad was taken due to a no. of injury concerns for Sydney Thunder recently. Legspinner Tanveer Sangha has a side strain while the top-order batter Jason Sangha has a bicep injury.
Opener Sam Konstas is unavailable due to his national commitments with Australia’s Test team. In the recent match, Cameron Bancroft and Daniel Sams got into a brutal collision and both of them were injured.
Bancroft has a broken nose and a fractured shoulder and has been ruled out of the whole BBL season. Meanwhile, Daniel Sams will also miss a few games due to concussion. Due to a no. of injuries, the club was forced to call up Christian as a replacement.
Trent Copeland on Dan Christian’s inclusion
Sydney Thunder General Manager Trent Copeland thanked Dan Christian for making himself available as a player again during the tough times for the club. He expects the all-rounder to make an impact with his loads of experience.
“We’re very fortunate to have Dan already within the club. He’s a legend of the BBL and we’ve got no doubt he’s still up to the level. We can’t wait to see him jump back into this environment and make an impact,” Copeland stated.
“This season, our team has demonstrated tremendous character in every performance, and tomorrow night’s match against the Heat will be no exception,” he added.
Dan Christian opens up on being selected in the squad
Dan Christian himself was excited to be in the squad as a player again. While the allrounder expressed his pleasure to play as a player, he also remains committed to his coaching role with the team.
“I’m fully committed to my coaching role with the team and have really enjoyed working with the squad we have here at Sydney Thunder for BBL 14,” Christian stated.
“I made the decision during the off season that a return to the BBL or any other T20 leagues was never entirely off the table for me. I’ve been playing NSW Premier Cricket with UNSW Cricket Club, and training hard. The body feels great, and I wanted to ensure I was prepared if an opportunity arose,” he revealed.
“The incident with Cam Bancroft and Dan Sams was extremely unfortunate, but I’m really grateful for the opportunity it’s presented. I wish them all the best with their recoveries and hope they’ll be back on the park soon,” the former Australia allrounder added.
Along with Dan Christian, Hugh Weibgen has also been named in the Thunder squad for the match against Brisbane Heat at the Gabba on January 6. Weibgen was brought in as a concussion substitute in the Thunder’s last match against Perth Scorchers for Cameron Bancroft.