Every cricketer dreams of beginning his international career very early and then continuing for a period of time no other player had ever spent in the long history of cricket. Both physical and mental strength plays a huge role in ensuring the same and keeping the player match-ready before the start of any important series. With the advent of the T20 format, both selectors and management are showing keen interest in managing the workload for the players and prolonging their career span by a couple of years. The rigours of international cricket does take a toll on the player’s body and later compels him to quit one of the three formats to continue performing in the rest before getting retired.
While all these things are part and parcel of cricket, it is rather unusual to see a player hanging his boots in the early 20s due to some unavoidable circumstances. These can be any, ranging from an illness, unhealing injury, off-field turmoil or disputes within. From a viewer’s perspective, it is highly disheartening to see a player retire in that fashion. But it is what it is! In the below piece, we look at 5 such cricketers, who ended their career prematurely in the early 20s due to unforeseen situations:
1. Craig Kieswetter
This wicketkeeper-batsman, who opened the innings with Michael Lumb during the 2010 T20 World Cup and played a huge part in their triumph, was hit on his eye while batting in the county fixture in July 2014. He underwent surgery and tried making a comeback during the domestic T20 tournament in South Africa, but wasn’t to be and had to retire at age of 27 in June 2015.
Kieswetter has scored 1054 runs from 46 ODIs at an average of 30.11 and strike rate of 89.93. While in 25 T20Is, he has smashed 526 runs at an average of 21.92 and strike rate of 111.91.
2. Tatenda Taibu
Becoming the youngest man to lead his country at the age of 20, Taibu announced his retirement at age of 29 and expressed his desire to devote some time to the almighty. In his words, he wasn’t happy and was trying to find peace in this unreal world. That’s when he came across the holy Bible and after reading it, he procured what he wanted.
Taibu has struck 1546 runs from 28 Tests at an average of 30.31, and 3393 runs from 150 ODIs at an average of 29.25. While in 16 T20Is, he has hammered 254 runs at an average of 28.22.
3. James Taylor
Promising talent in the middle order for England, Taylor was diagnosed with a serious but rare heart condition known as arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) which could exacerbate by performing vigorous exercise and may also lead to death. Thus, Taylor was left with no other option but to bid adieu at the young age of 26.
The batsman has garnered 312 runs from 7 Tests at an average of 26, and 887 runs from 27 ODIs at an average of 42.24.
4. Robbie Hart
Hart was the first choice keeper after the retirement of Adam Parore in the New Zealand set-up. Unfortunately, he couldn’t continue for much longer as he took retirement in 2004 to venture into some other field.
Being a lawyer by profession, Hart worked for a few years with different establishments before starting off his own firm in company of others. Cricket was always his priority but he deemed it to be the right time to try his luck in some other field and thus, the outcome.
Hart has mustered 260 runs from 11 Tests at an average of 16.25 and has also featured in 2 ODIs before calling it a day.
5. Basit Ali
Considered as one of the promising talents in Pakistan cricket, Ali made his international debut at a very young age and chronicled several good innings off his illustrious bat.
However, tragedy did hit his flowering career as he along with Rashid Latif announced retirement during the 1994 tour of South Africa citing match-fixing allegations. It was indeed a sad ending to what could have turned out to be a celebrated career had the said things not happened.
Ali was 27 when he quit the sport and now appears as a cricket expert on Pakistani TV shows. The batsman had smacked 1265 runs from 50 ODIs at an average of 34.19 and a best score of 127. While in 19 Tests, he had stroked 858 runs at an average of 26.81 and a high score of 103.
