Five Players Who Delayed Their International Retirement

It is always difficult to call it a day from one’s International career. There are always emotions involved when a player ponders to hang his boots from the topmost level. However, a player should be smart to know when there is no fuel left in the tank. It is imperative to know when one time is up and it is always recommended to go on a high.

In fact, it is generally noted that some players lose their spark in the fag end of their respective career.

Here are the five players:

Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar announced his retirement at the age of 40 years. It was Tendulkar’s dream to win the World Cup. The Master Blaster was able to fulfil his long term dream in the World Cup of 2011. However, he decided to continue playing even after getting the coveted trophy in his cabinet.

Sachin Tendulkar almost has every record in the book. However, Sachin’s performance had shown a downward slope in the fag end of his career. In fact, the retirement decision was always going to be his personal decision.

Tendulkar played uncharacteristically to bring up his 100th International hundred. The legendary batsman chewed up a lot of balls and India eventually lost the match against Bangladesh.

The Master Blaster had an illustrious career as he scored 15921 runs in his Test career of 200 matches. The talisman batsman scored a mountain of 18426 runs in 463 ODI matches.

Sanath Jayasuriya

Sri Lanka’s Sanath Jayasuriya continuing playing the sport till he was 41 years as he played his last match in 2011. Jayasuriya was one of the combative batsmen to have played the game. However, the left-hander performance in the final stages of his career was not up to the mark. Thus, he should have announced his International retirement earlier.

The left-hander scored 6973 runs in 110 Test matches. He amassed 13430 runs in 445 ODI matches. In fact, Jayasuriya scalped 323 wickets in his International ODI career. The southpaw batsman also played 31 T20Is for the Island country.

Shahid Afridi

Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi announced his retirement on multiple occasions but kept coming back to International fold. Afridi always liked hitting the ground running and liked to take on the attack on the opposition from the get-go.

The talisman Pakistan all-rounder played till the age of 34 years but he was not at his prime at the end stages of his career. However, the former Pakistan skipper scored 8064 runs in 398 One Day Internationals. The leg-spinner also took 395 runs in his One-Day career and thus he was instrumental in the success of the team.

Afridi played 27 Test matches for the Pakistan team. The all-rounder played 99 T20Is for the Men in Green.

Chris Gayle

Windes Chris Gayle is still playing for the Windies. However, he is generally playing in the different leagues across the globe. Gayle has passed his prime and he hasn’t been consistent for the Carribean nation. Furthermore, the combative southpaw batsman is not at the top of his fitness. In fact, Gayle has never enjoyed running singles between the wickets.

The left-handed batsman has played 103 Test matches in which he scored 7215 runs.

Gayle has stroked 10480 runs in his career of 301 ODI matches. The left-hander is regarded as the King of T20 Cricket in which he has scored more 13000 runs while playing across the world.

Harbhajan Singh

Harbhajan Singh still harbours hopes of playing in the World Cup. However, the vanguard off-spinner is not playing any domestic tournament. In fact, Singh is seen analysing the matches of the Indian team as an expert and he is not calling his International retirement.

Harbhajan is hardly going to make a comeback and he should hang his boots from the International circuit. The Punjab tweaker is currently 39 years old. The talisman off-spinner has played 103 Test matches in which he has taken 417 Test matches. He also played 236 ODI matches for the India National Cricket Team in which he scalped 269 wickets. The Turbanator also featured in 28 T20Is for the Men in Blue in which he took 25 wickets.