Veteran South African fast bowler Dale Steyn on Monday announced his retirement from Test cricket with immediate effect.

Steyn, however, will remain available for selection in both One Day and Twenty20 (T20) Internationals, according to Cricket South Africa (CSA), which posted the news on its official Twitter account.

“Today I walk away from a format of the game I love so much. In my opinion, Test cricket is the best version of this game. It tests you mentally, physically, emotionally,” Steyn said.

Steyn thanked the entire cricket fraternity while expressing his optimism at playing in the game’s shorter formats.

“It’s terrible to consider never playing another Test again but what’s more terrifying is the thought of never playing again at all. So I will be focusing on ODIs and T20s for the rest of my career to maximise my full potential and ensure my longevity in this sport,” Steyn added.

CSA chief executive Thabang Moroe hailed Steyn as one of the all-time greats of cricket and a wonderful mentor to South Africa’s next generation of speedsters.

“We were saddened to hear of his (Steyn’s) decision, but it is one that management has to accept, and we thank him for his significant contribution to the sport and to the nation and wish him everything of the very best for the future, Moroe said.

Steyn, who made his Test debut in 2004 against England, retires as South Africa’s all-time leading wicket-taker with 439 wickets, an average of 22.95. He played in 93 Tests and led the International Cricket Council (ICC) MRF Tyres Test Bowling Rankings for a record 263 weeks.

Injuries, however, have plagued Steyn, 36, in recent years in recent years, with the latest one (shoulder) forcing him to miss out completely on the 2019 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in England and Wales.