10 Cricketers Who Chose Different Profession After Retiring From Cricket
Published - 18 Jul 2019, 01:12 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:01 AM
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A sportsperson’s life is short-lived, including cricket, unlike other professions. Once you hit the 30 years, the critics will be ready to criticise your performances and a few average performances; you are out of the team. Many cricketers who have lived the life to the fullest during his playing days had to struggle for a living post his retirement.
From the likes of Andrew Flintoff to controversial Chris Lewis, many cricketers have chosen different profession after retiring from cricket to sustain themselves.
Let us take a look at 10 cricketers who took up exciting professions after retirement:
Also read: England Fans Slam Moeen Ali, Adil Rashid’s Gesture During World Cup Celebration
1. Brett Lee
The Australian fast bowler, Brett Lee, is one of the most loved cricketers across the globe. He has 690 wickets to his name combining ODI and Test format and was a part of a lethal pace attack of Australia.
After retirement, he joined the chords for music. Lee has been the co-host of the travel show Getaway with former Miss Australia Jesinta Campbell. The show went air on Fox Life in 2015. Lee also tried his hand in acting, making his debut in a Bollywood flick titled UnINDIAN.
2. Andrew Flintoff
One of the best all-rounders to have played the game of cricket, Andre Flintoff was a crucial member of the England team in the first decade of the 2000s. His outstanding show in the 2005 Ashes series is still in the hearts of every cricket fans.
The English all-rounder amassed almost 7000 international runs and claimed 400 wickets across the formats. Meanwhile, post his retirement, Flintoff drifted to a whole new career option – professional boxing. He also made a winning start beating American Richard Dawson, in Manchester who was unbeaten till then.
3. Curtley Ambrose
A giant in every nature, West Indies fast bowler Curtly Ambrose was one of the deadliest pacers of his generation. With more than 600 wickets in his international career, Ambrose was a nightmare to the batsmen.
Post his retirement, the 6’ 7″ tall Ambrose started playing the guitar after hanging his boots. He stands out to be one of the better bass players in an Antiguan soca/reggae band, Dread & the Baldhead.
4. Mike Brearley
The England cricketer, Mike Brearley was one of the best skippers during his playing days. Notably, he captained 31 of the 39 Tests he played winning 17 of those and losing only four. Brearley had an exceptional cricketing brain and later post his retirement he took up writing.
He also worked as a psychoanalyst, even serving as President of the British Psychoanalytical Society.
5. Arshad Khan
Pakistan’s right-handed batsman and a useful right-arm break bowler, Arshad Khan, showed potential on various occasions since making his debut. He was a useful spinner who provided breakthroughs in the middle-overs.
However, after failing to make it to the side, Arshad moved to Sydney and became a cab driver to sustain. It was one of the most unfortunate turns of events for a cricketer.
6. Imran Khan
One of the greatest leaders Pakistan have ever seen, Imran Khan took them to the World Cup glory in 1992. His ability to swing the ball both ways and then chip in with some crucial runs in the death overs made him one of the useful all-rounders during the 90s.
After an illustrious career, Imran took up politics. Currently, he is the Prime Minister of Pakistan, who is trying to shape a new Pakistan with his ideologies.
7. Chris Lewis
A talent England cricketer, many tipped Chris Lewis as the next Ian Botham of England. Lewis had a lot of potentials with the ball and had the tenacity to bat for long coming down the order. He represented his country in 32 Tests and 53 one-day internationals for England from 1990.
Lewis took up the wrong path of smuggling. In 2009, he received a jail sentence for 13 years for smuggling liquid cocaine, valued at more than £140,000, into Britain hidden in fruit juice tins in his cricket bag.
8. Chris Harris
The all-rounder, Chris Harris has been one of the greatest servants of New Zealand cricket over the period. He was a good middle-order batsman and bowled medium pace during his playing days, which made him one of the crucial components in the Black Caps side.
But Harris has moved away from cricket following his retirement. The former New Zealand all-rounder now works as a sales representative for a distributor of orthopaedic devices.
9. Dilip Doshi
Former Indian left-arm spinner Dilip Doshi was one of the just four bowlers to make a Test debut after thirty years of age. Doshi, who ended his career with 114 wickets from 33 matches, entered the world of business following his retirement.
Through his family’s firm Entrack International, Doshi introduced the Mont Blanc luxury pens to India in 1994 and for the next 20 years marketed them across 17 boutique stores across India.
10. Chris Cairns
One of the greatest all-rounders of the 90s, Chris Cairns now has to do manual labour for a living. The former Black Caps cricketer is the ultimate riches-to-rags story as he now spends his time driving trucks or cleaning bus shelters for $17 an hour.
Cairns played a huge role in shaping the Kiwi cricket taking responsibilities on his shoulder to help his side win matches single-handedly on his shoulder. However, he got entangled in a match-fixing controversy and went bankrupt following which he took up the job of a truck driver.
