Top 8 Cricketers Who Retired Early
International cricket has seen several notable players, from AB de Villiers to Ambati Rayudu, announce their early departures. Some cited personal reasons, while others found success by joining T20 leagues worldwide.
Sri Lankan Bhanuka Rajapaksa recently made waves when he abruptly retired, citing ‘family obligations’ as his reason. Unfortunately, Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa expressed her displeasure with this sudden move.
Glenn McGrath
Australian fast bowler Glenn McGrath remains one of the greatest fast bowlers ever, his on-field skills being unparalleled. While not the quickest or canniest bowler ever produced by Australia, McGrath had an uncanny ability to strike fear into batsmen through his deceptively tricky style of bowling, making it almost impossible for batsmen to face him. His 563 Test match wickets leave no question about who was Australia’s most accomplished bowler ever produced.
McGrath’s relentless assault in all formats earned him the right to don the baggy green cap, and he delighted in the challenge of defending it against world-class opposition. A true competitor who loved taking on some of cricket’s premier batsmen head-on, McGrath would sometimes set out specifically targeting certain individuals before beginning a series against West Indies bowler Frank Worrell; his plan to dismiss Sherwin Campbell and Brian Lara within one over was an outstanding example of this technique.
Though his playing career ended prematurely, McGrath left an immeasurable legacy through his dedication and strong personality. Now, I am an ambassador for MRF Pace Foundation and a cricket commentator.
Andrew Flintoff
Former England all-rounder Mike Atherton was an exceptional cricketer who could excel at all aspects of the game, including fast bowling, middle-order batting, and slip fielding. One of the greatest all-rounders ever seen playing cricket.
Flintoff battled injuries for many years but continued playing, becoming a vital member of England’s team that won back the Ashes from Australia after 18 years. His contribution in scoring over 400 runs and taking 24 wickets during a historic series at Edgbaston helped turn it in England’s favour and turn around their Ashes campaign. His 62-ball 68 and wickets of Ricky Ponting and Justin Langer in one over helped tilt it in England’s favour and ensure they retained possession.
As players enter their 30s, they tend to see their performance decline due to aging, stress and travelling, which can lead to various health conditions and chronic issues that force early retirement; However, some players have made the choice to call it quits early, citing various reasons for doing so.
Sarah Taylor
Some cricketers opting to retire early, whether due to injuries, personal circumstances, or a lack of financial security, can disappoint fans. However, it is important to remember that such decisions often come after much thought and planning.
New Zealand batsman Mitchell Santner was an exhilarating performer during his international career; however, in 2016, he decided to call time on it prematurely and retire early from international cricket. One of the premier wicketkeeper-batters, Santner was also an outstanding leader on and off the pitch.
Dwaine Pretorius announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on January 20, 2023, following a distinguished national side career that saw him play three Tests, 27 ODIs and 30 T20Is for South Africa.
England wicket-keeper Taylor took to Twitter in March 2022, sharing images from her sonography session. Her tweet received widespread acclaim, prompting fascinating dialogue on gender equality in cricket. Since then, she has been coaching men’s franchise teams like Northern Diamonds and Welsh Fire of T10 League cricket.
Kumar Sangakkara
Kumar Sangakkara stands out as one of Sri Lanka’s greatest players. He is known for his remarkable left-handed batsman and wicket-keeping prowess over a 10-year span.
He made his ODI debut against Pakistan and scored 85, later becoming an important part of their squad for the 2007 World Cup.
At his retirement, he had amassed 4,980 runs in Test cricket and was widely considered one of the greatest batsmen of his era. He was capable of mastering almost all forms of cricketing shots.
At just 30 years old, he became one of only three cricketers ever to reach 10,000 Test runs as quickly as Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara did. He also holds the record for most double centuries scored during a career. When news of his sudden retirement came out, many were shocked; nevertheless, he will long be remembered for his superb career and legacy in cricket.
Sourav Ganguly
Cricket is gentler on the body than football or tennis, which makes deciding when it’s the appropriate time to retire more difficult for many players. Some have had luck retiring early.
Sourav Ganguly stands out as an exceptional player. Hailing from Bengal, Ganguly – the father of current India Test captain Virat Kohli – remains an icon in Indian cricket history and is widely revered as one of its greatest batsmen in world history. Often referred to as “The Godfather”, Sourav is revered by Indian cricket fans and considered one of its all-time great batsmen.
After making his mark in domestic competitions like Ranji and Duleep trophies, he earned an ODI debut against West Indies in 1992. Although not scoring heavily during that inaugural match, he quickly established himself as one of India’s premier players and would go on to represent 21 tests and 68 ODIs for India between 1992-1998, later retiring but remaining influential within domestic cricket through coaching several youngsters before serving on the Supreme Court appointed Justice Mudgal Committee investigation panel for IPL spot-fixing scandals between 2004-5.
Beau Casson
Due to injury or other circumstances, some players must retire earlier than anticipated. While this can be devastating for fans who had anticipated watching these players for many more seasons ahead, it’s important to recognize that these decisions have come after careful thought and deliberation by each individual player.
Beau Casson was an outstanding spinner representing Western Australia across all levels and played one Test match for Australia as a left-arm wrist spinner. Unfortunately, however, his talent could not be developed further, and he struggled to break into the New South Wales side, where Nathan Hauritz was their main spinner.
He eventually was forced to retire due to Tetralogy of Fallot, a heart condition so severe it could have proven fatal if he continued playing basketball. Luckily, Beau found new career paths and established a successful business empire.
Tamim Iqbal
Tamim Iqbal had become one of the premier batsmen in cricket but had to call time on his career much too soon. Born as the nephew of former Bangladesh captain Akram Khan and making his ODI debut for Bangladesh in 2007, Tamim rose quickly to score two easy half-centuries. A World Cup call-up soon followed, and Tamim certainly did not disappoint with his spectacular straight six off Zaheer Khan at St Vincent.
Mushfiqur Rahim recently stepped aside as Bangladesh ODI vice-captain, with Khaled Ahmed taking his place and being seen as the future of their batting lineup. Khaled scored an unbeaten century in their inaugural match against India, a significant factor in knocking them out of the tournament altogether.
Tamim enjoyed an outstanding career in both T20Is and ODIs, amassing over 2,000 runs while taking 35 wickets. Among his accomplishments, he won the inaugural World T20 tournament in 2015. Unfortunately, like so many great cricketers, he was forced to retire early.
Ben Stokes
Ben Stokes is an undeniable force in cricket. His fighting spirit and extraordinary talent helped elevate England to new heights in 2019. Stokes showed great flair during England’s tour of South Africa, where he posted the second-fastest double century. Additionally, his display at the 2019 World Cup final will remain unforgettable.
Since making his first-class debut in 2009, Stokes has shown tremendous promise with both bat and ball. On his very first delivery in FC cricket, he caught Mark Ramprakash off guard. He later appeared for Durham at the 2010 Under-19 ICC World Cup tournament.
Stokes won two World Cups as part of England, scoring over 4,000 runs for them in both. He even appeared for Melbourne Renegades in Australia’s Big Bash League for a brief period.