Several veterans of the game from foreign lands hung up their boots in either one or every format
We are all aware of the phrase “age is just a number”,
which denotes that a person’s ability to do something has nothing to do with their age. If they wish to do something, no matter their age, they can. However, the phrase is not always true or applicable to everyone’s lives, especially in the field of sports. One may be highly determined, but at the end of the day, physical capabilities matter.
Therefore, like every year, 2025 also witnessed its share of retirements from cricket. Several top veterans of the game from foreign lands hung up their boots in one or every format, and surprisingly, many made the decision even before hitting 35. At the end of the day, when the body says it is over, it truly is.
As the year comes to an end, let us look at some of the top players who took the call.
Martin Guptill
(Credit- ESPNcricinfo)
The year started with Martin Guptill’s retirement on January 8 at the age of 38. Guptill was one of the finest Kiwi batters ever to play the game. Guptill played 47 Test matches, amassing 2,586 runs at an average of 29.38 while maintaining a strike rate of 46.61. In ODI, he scored 7,346 runs in 198 matches with an average of 41.73 and a strike rate of 87.29. In the T20I format, he scored another 3,531 runs in 122 matches.
Heinrich Klassen
South African heavy hitter Heinrich Klassen retired at 33 to spend more time with his family. Known for his prowess in T20I, Klassen wishes to focus more on domestic cricket. In 58 T20Is, he scored 1,000 runs, whereas in 60 ODIs, he amassed 2,141 runs. His Test stint was incredibly short, limited to four matches in which he scored 104 runs.
Nicholas Pooran
(Credit- News18)
A paradox of the modern game, Nicholas Pooran made a shocking retirement at the age of 29. He retired with 2,275 runs in 106 matches, whereas in ODIs, he amassed 1,983 runs in 61 matches. Given his explosive batting style, Pooran didn’t make it to Test cricket, but T20 and franchise cricket were his holy ground, where his bat did the talking and helped him maximise his earnings.
Goodbye to one format
Steve Smith
(Credit- NDTV Sports)
The Australian stalwart bid goodbye to the ODI format of the game, having scored 5,800 runs in 170 matches. In his ODI career, he maintained a strike rate of 86.96 and an average of 43.28. Smith is available for Test and T20I cricket.
Glenn Maxwell
Glenn Maxwell also left the ODI format after playing 149 games. He scored 3,990 runs with a strike rate of 126 and an average of 33.81. In ODIs, he registered 50 half-centuries and four centuries.
Mitchell Starc
Among the top names, Mitchell Starc left the T20 format to focus on Test and ODI. He said, “Test cricket is and has always been my highest priority,” but will be available for ODI as well. The pacer picked 79 wickets in 65 T20I matches.
