Retirement
is an obligatory part of a cricketer’s career. Every year across the world many
cricketers hang their boots but some cricketers’ retirement creates a permanent
void in international cricket.
As 2021
comes to end, Opoyi picks five big names of international cricket who have
decided to hang their boots.
Dale Steyn
South
Africa’s star fast bowler Dale Steyn announced retirement from cricket on August 31.
Steyn, who
made his international debut in 2004, played 93 Tests, 125 ODIs and 47 T20Is in
an illustrious career that spanned almost 16 years. During his peak, Steyn held
the No. 1 position of ICC Test rankings for a record 263 weeks between 2008 and
2014. His last international game was a T20I against Australia in Johannesburg
in February 2020.
Also Read: As Dale Steyn retires, wishes pour in for the South African pacer
The fast
bowler finished as his country’s highest wicket-taker in Tests with 439 scalps.
Dwayne Bravo
One of the
finest all-rounders in the shortest format of the game, Dwayne Bravo took a
call on his career as West Indies crashed out of the 2021 T20 World Cup
following a poor performance.
Known for
his tricky pace bowling and handy batting, Bravo was a key player in West
Indies’ 2012 and 2016 T20 World Cup winning team.
“To
win three ICC trophies, two (T20 World Cup) with my captain (Daren Sammy) on
the left here. One thing I am proud of is the era of cricketers we had, we were
able to make a name for ourselves on the global stage and not only do that, but
have silverware to show for it,” he said.
Also Read: Tributes pour in for ‘jewels’ Gayle, Bravo after Windies World Cup exit
Bravo, who
played 40 Tests, 164 ODIs and 91 T20Is, retired on November 6.
Upul Tharanga
Former Sri
Lanka captain Upul Tharanga was a stylish left-handed batter. He was known for
his stroke-making abilities. Tharanga made his international cricket in 2005.
Although he made a forgetful start to his career, he restored the faith of the
selectors by amassing over 300 runs against England in five ODIs in 2006.
Tharanga
played 31 Tests, 235 ODIs and 26 T20Is for Sri Lanka. He was most impactful in
ODIs with 6951 runs in 235 matches at an average of 33.74 with 15 tons and 37
half-centuries.
He was a
key member of Sri Lanka’s 2011 World Cup team which played the final against
India and finished runners-up. The southpaw showed great maturity as he scored
325 runs in nine matches, including two centuries.
Tharanga
also captained Sri Lanka between 2016 and 2018. On February 23, he announced
his retirement on Twitter.
Harbhajan Singh
One of
India’s most impactful and successful off-spinners Harbhajan Singh made his
Test debut in 1998. Though he failed on his debut, he earned fame when India
defeated Australia in the famous 2001 Kolkata Test. Harbhajan Singh took a
hat-trick at the Eden Gardens. In that series, India won and Harbhajan Singh
snared 32 wickets in three Tests.
He was an
important player for India across formats and was an integral part of India’s
triumphs in the 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 Cricket World Cup.
Also Read: Harbhajan Singh retires: Turbantaor’s career in numbers
Harbhajan
finished with 417 wickets in 103 Tests, 269 wickets in 236 ODIs and 25 scalps
in 28 T20Is. He also scored two Test centuries.
Harbhajan
Singh announced retirement from cricket on December 24.
Ross Taylor
Former New
Zealand captain Ross Taylor is the latest inclusion in the list. The
37-year-old right-handed batter has been an amazing player in all three
formats. He scored 7558 runs in 110 Tests at an average of 44.36. He also
scored 8576 runs in 233 ODIs. Taylor also played 102 T20Is and scored 1909
runs.
Taylor is
New Zealand’s highest run-scorer in Tests and ODIs. He played the 2015 and 2019 ODI
World Cup final and the T20 World Cup final in 2021. On all three occasions, New
Zealand finished runners-up.
Also Read: Ross Taylor, veteran New Zealand batter, announces retirement from international cricket
The veteran
cricketer will hang his boots after playing two more Tests against Bangladesh
and six ODIs against Australia and the Netherlands in 2022.
Taylor
announced his retirement on December 30, 2021.
