Five Players Who Retired Prematurely From International Cricket
Published - 02 Jan 2021, 01:58 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:39 AM
International cricket in the previous decade saw retirements of quite a few big names. These were cricketers who enriched the sport with their performances and had illustrious careers. Their retirement came across as a shock to cricket lovers as they could’ve easily continued longer.
For various reasons, these prominent names chose to bid farewell to the international stage when many felt they had so much more to offer.
Five Players Who Retired Prematurely From International Cricket:
5. Graeme Smith
Former South Africa captain Graeme Smith is renowned for his inspiring leadership and gutsy batsmanship. Smith made his debut in 2002 and played 117 Tests, 197 ODIs, 33 T20Is for his country.
The left-hand batsman made over 15,00 international runs. Smith quit the game aged 33 in March 2014. The left-hander could’ve easily played more for the Proteas. He has since transitioned into administration and broadcasting work. He retired from international cricket too soon.
4. Shane Watson
At his best, Watson doubled up as a crucial member of both the batting and bowling units. He scored 10,950 runs and took nearly 300 wickets in the international arena. Watson played his last game for Australia at the 2016 T20 World Cup in India aged 34.
At the time, Watson decided to focus primarily on domestic T20 leagues, including the IPL, PSL and BBL. But a feeling remains that Watson didn’t encash his full potential and could’ve played more at the highest level.
Johnson played for Australia from 2005 till 2015. The former left-arm paceman featured in 73 Tests, 153 ODIs and 30 T20Is at the international stage. Johnson’s best hours being an Australian cricketer came during the Ashes 2013-14. He terrorised the visiting England batsmen with great pace and bounce.
Johnson took 37 wickets at an average of 13.97 as Australia whitewashed England 5-0. On the South African tour that followed, Johnson bagged 22 scalps at a wicket-cost of 17.36 in another series victory for Australia.
However, two seasons later the fast bowler decided to quit international cricket following a home series versus New Zealand. Johnson had just turned 34 at the time and was still a massive threat to the opposition batsmen. He retired from international cricket too soon.
2. Brendon McCullum
McCullum is among the finest wicketkeeper batsmen to have played in the modern-day cricket. The right-hand batsman and gloveman featured in 101 Tests, 260 ODIs and 71 T20Is for New Zealand. An explosive striker of the cricket ball, McCullum scored over 12,000 runs in international cricket.
McCullum was also great captain for New Zealand. He oversaw their excellent run till the final of the 2015 World Cup. In Test matches too, McCullum led the Kiwis to some of their most memorable wins.
McCullum quit the international game despite being at the peak of his prowess as a player and captain back in February 2016. He was only 34 years old at the time and one of the fittest cricketers doing the rounds. McCullum decided to spend the rest of his professional career taking part in T20 leagues.
1. AB de Villiers
AB de Villiers is perhaps the biggest name to feature in a premature retirees list. The right-hand batsman is considered a legend in world cricket for his pedigree and excellent record across formats.
De Villiers played 114 Tests, 228 ODIs and 78 T20Is for his country. He scored nearly 20,000 runs in international cricket, averaging above 50 in both Tests and ODIs.
The great South African batsman was batting at his absolute best in the 2017-18 home summer against India and Australia before he suddenly decided to call it quits. De Villiers was only 34 years old at the time.
The magnificent cricketer cited excessive workload as one big reason behind his decision. He has since been plying his trade in various T20 leagues, besides spending more time with his family. But De Villiers’ international retirement when he could’ve easily played longer remains a cause of great sadness. He retired from international cricket too soon.
