Former Kent all-rounder and Australian international Andrew Symonds has called time on his professional cricket career at the age of 36.

The all-rounder played 26 tests for Australia, and represented Kent as their overseas player between 1999 and 2004.

Known for his explosive and big hitting batting, Symonds holds the Kent County Cricket Club record for the highest individual T20 innings, scoring 112 from just 43 balls against the Middlesex Crusaders at Mote Park, Maidstone, in 2004, in a game where he was opening the batting for Kent alongside Pakistan star Shahid Afridi.

Symonds also has the fifth highest ever T20 score for the Spitfires, 96 not out off 37 balls in his T20 debut for the county against Hampshire in Beckenham in 2003.

Before announcing his retirement, Symonds was due to play for the Mumbai Indians in this year’s IPL, however with his first child on the way he has now decided to call time on his playing career.

According to the ECB, in a statement released to Australian media, he said: “Effective immediately, I am retiring from all forms of professional cricket. It is with regret that I will not be able to fulfil my final year of the IPL with the Mumbai Indians.”

Symonds also featured for Gloucestershire, Lancashire and Surrey in England, and made 212 limited-overs appearances for Australia, scoring 5425 Runs and taking 141 wickets.

His career was not without much controversy, however. He was dropped from the Australian team in 2005 after turning up to a match against Bangladesh in England whilst still under the influence of alcohol. He had not played for the Australian side since being sent home from the World Twenty20 in 2009 due to disciplinary issues, and in 2008 he alleged the Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh had racially abused him.