From teams gaining Test status to underdogs winning major tournaments and a few legends officially bidding farewell to the gentlemen’s game, 2017 has been an eventful year for several Indian cricketers. Let’s take a look at the players who retired as champions, in chronological order:
Kyle Abbott
Abbott retired from international cricket on January 5, 2017. His retirement came as a shock to the cricketing fraternity. The 30-year-old continues to play league cricket across the world. He signed a Kolpak deal with England’s Hampshire cricket club.
Test career – 11 matches, 95 runs; 39 wickets
ODI career – 28 matches, 76 runs, 34 wickets
T20I career – 21 matches, 23 runs, 26 wickets
Rilee Rossouw
The South African batsman retired from international cricket the same day as Abbott. The left-handed batsman continues to play league cricket across the globe. Roussouw recently featured in the T10 league where he scored 1 half-century for Maratha Arabians.
ODI career – 36 matches, 1,239 runs, 100s- 3, 50s- 7, Average- 38.71; 1 wicket
T20I career – 15 matches, 327 runs, 50s- 2, Average- 29.72
Shahid Afridi
The Pakistani all-rounder who is known for his revolutionary leg spin in the shorter format of the game had a three-phased retirement in his career. At first, he announced and withdrew his retirement from Test cricket in 2006 only to retire in 2010 after playing his first Test after a gap of 4 years.
Then he retired from ODI cricket in 2015 after Pakistan were knocked out of the tournament in the quarter-final by Australia. He continued to play T20I cricket after that but did not have any success captaining the side in Asia T20 Cup 2016 or T20 World Cup 2016.
Though he retired from all forms of international cricket on February 20, 2017, he continues to play in leagues across the world post-retirement. He held the record for fastest ODI century from 37 balls over 18 years.
Test career – 27 matches, 1716 runs, 100s- 5, 50s- 8, Average 36.51; 48 wickets
ODI career – 398 matches, 8,064 runs, 100s- 6, 50s – 39, Average- 23.57; 397 wickets
T20I career – 98 matches, 1,405 runs, 50s -4, Average 18.01; 97 wickets
Dwayne Smith
The Windies batsman retired from international cricket after he was unable to make it to the squad for 2 years. Smith announced his retirement on March 1, 2017. His international career statistics might fool many but he is one of the most lethal batsmen in the T20 cricket circuit. The Caribbean player is the 7th highest run-scorer in T20s with 7,351 runs. The 34-year-old might better his record with every T20 match he plays.
Test career – 10 matches, 320 runs, 100s- 1, Average 24.61; 7 wickets
ODI career – 105 matches, 1,560 runs, 50s- 8, Average 18.57; 61 wickets
T20I career – 33 matches, 582 runs, 50s- 3, Average 18.18; 7 wickets
Misbah-ul-Haq
The former Pakistani skipper had an eventful career in international cricket. Cricket fans know him for the T20 World Cup 2007 last-ball scoop fiasco and his unique push-up celebration at the Lord’s after scoring a century at 42 years of age. Misbah could not score a single hundred after playing in 162 ODIs as a prominent batsman.
Misbah announced his retirement from international cricket on April 6, 2017. He retired on a winning note as Pakistan won the three-Test series against Windies on May 15, 2017.
Test career – 75 matches, 5,222 runs, 100s- 10, 50s- 39, Average 46.62
ODI career – 162 matches, 5,122 runs, 50s- 42, Average 43.40
T20I career – 39 matches, 788 runs, 50s-3, Average 37.52
Younis Khan
Pakistan’s legendary batsman Younis Khan retired on the same day as Misbah. Their retirement was also dubbed as the end of an era of Pakistan cricket. Younis announced his retirement on April 8 and joined Misbah to retire on May 15 after the conclusion of the Test series against Windies.
Younis had a brilliant 17-year-long international career. He holds the record for most number of runs and centuries for Pakistan in Test cricket. He also led Pakistan to their maiden T20 World Cup win in 2009.
Test career – 118 matches, 10,099 runs, 100s- 34, 50s- 33, Average 52.12; 9 wickets
ODI career – 265 matches, 7,249 runs, 100s- 7, 50s- 48, Average 31.24; 3 wickets
T20I career – 25 matches, 442 runs, 50s- 2, Average 22.10; 3 wickets
Abdul Razzaq
Razzaq is one of the best all-rounders Pakistan cricket has ever seen. He could open the bowling attack and bat down the order as well. The all-rounder won many matches with his hard-hitting skills in death overs. The 38-year-old announced his international retirement on June 2, 2017. He has been playing in minnow cricket leagues. He was also a part of Pakistan’s T20 World Cup-winning team in 2009.
Test career –46 matches, 1,946 runs, 100s-3, 50s-7, Average 28.61; 100 wickets
ODI career – 265 matches, 5,080 runs, 100s- 3, 50s- 23; 269 wickets
T20I career – 32 matches, 393 runs, Average 20.68; 20 wickets
Michael Lumb
Lumb was forced to retire from all forms of cricket due to an ankle injury. Lumb kept knocking on the English selectors’ door but could not stay in the team for long due to increased competition for the spot. Lumb may have more than 11,000 runs in First-Class cricket but he was selected in the English side in the shorter format of the game. The left-handed opener has 4,872 runs in T20 cricket and has been acknowledged as a destructive opener.
ODI career – 3 matches, 165 runs, 100s- 1, Average 55
T20I career – 27 matches, 552 runs, 50s- 3, Average 21.23
John Hastings
Hastings had a bulky appearance whenever he started his run-up. Hastings’ decision to retire from Test and ODI cricket came as a shock to many. It was only in 2016 that Hastings owned the pitches of Sri Lanka bagging his career-best 6 for 45. Hastings has been in and out of the side as Australia have a rich crop of fast bowlers ready to make their way into the team. He played only one Test and was preferred more in the shorter formats of the game.
Test career – 1 match, 52 runs, 1 wicket
ODI career – 29 matches, 271 runs, 50s- 1, Average 27.10; 42 wickets
T20I career – 9 matches, 46 runs, 7 wickets
Ashish Nehra
The left-arm fast bowler announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on October 11. The retirement from international cricket was expected but Nehra decided that he will not play in any league including the Indian Premier League (IPL). He retired on a winning note in front of his home crowd at Feroz Shah Kotla stadium, Delhi.
Nehra is one of the legendary bowlers who made a successful comeback after several injuries and managed to excel. His spell of 6 for 23 against England is the best bowling figure for an Indian bowler in the history of World Cups. Team India are still searching for a left-arm seamer of his and Zaheer Khan’s stature for more variety in the pace attack.
Test career – 17 matches, 44 wickets
ODI career – 120 matches, 157 wickets
T20I career – 27 matches, 34 wickets
Saeed Ajmal
Ajmal’s career was full of controversies. His bowling action was banned by International Cricket Council (ICC) in 2014 and then in 2015. However, Ajmal continued to play cricket after the ban. He announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on November 13, 2017. He played his last match on November 29 and retired in the National T20 Cup semi-final.
The off-spinner too was a part of the T20 World Cup-winning squad in 2009. He was one of the most economical bowlers with an economy rate of 4.18 and 6.36 in ODIs and T20Is respectively.
Test career – 35 matches, 178 wickets
ODI career – 113 matches, 184 wickets
T20I career – 64 matches, 85 wickets
