Although we are witnesses of long careers such as that of Sachin Tendulkar, there have also been a few careers that ended abruptly. A few promising cricketers could not have a complete career due to an injury, a tragic incident, or a bad decision. These have been some of the uncomfortable stories in the game. In this article, we take a look at five promising cricketers whose careers ended too soon.
1) Phillip Hughes (Australia) – Passed Away At The Age Of 25
Tests – 26 || Runs – 1535 || Average – 32.65
ODIs – 25 || Runs – 826 || Average – 35.91
T20I – 1 || Runs – 6 || Average – 6
The passing away of Phillip at the age of 25 after being struck by a bouncer is one of the most tragic incidents in the game’s history. Even more unfortunate is the fact that the left-handed opener was slowly hitting his peak at that point in his career.
The youngest man to score a century in each innings of a Test match, Phillip Hughes scored almost 9000 runs in FC cricket in 114 games. He was tipped to be the long-term replacement for Mathew Hayden in the Australian setup. The player had also started his international career on a good note. However, all of it ended tragically, as he never came back to consciousness after being hit by a bouncer in a Shield game in 2014.
2) Nari Contractor – Was Struck On His Skull At The Age Of 28
Tests – 31 || Runs – 1611 || Average – 31.58
When he was appointed as the captain of Team India at the age of 26, Nari Contractor was the youngest to hold the post. That was when he was at the peak of his career. Known for the iconic knock of 81 which he scored with a broken rib, Contractor impressed against tough opponents like England and Australia.
However, in 1962, he was hit on his skull by a delivery from Charlie Griffith which put him in danger. After multiple operations, he was revived. Although he tried to make his FC return two years later, the player could just not get back to his past self.
3) James Taylor (England) – Retired At The Age Of 26
Tests – 7 || Runs – 312 || Average – 26
ODIs – 27 || Runs – 887 || Average – 42.23
James Taylor is one of the promising cricketers whose careers ended too soon. Although he was not great in Tests, the right-hander enjoyed good form in the ODIs. His average of 42.23 was a stunning number under the circumstances. He was regarded to be a long-term ODI cricketer for the nation.
However, in 2016, a serious heart condition called arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy forced him to retire from all forms of the game. Two years after he retired, he became one of the selectors of the England Team.
4) Mohammad Asif (Pakistan) – Played His International Game At The Age Of 27
Tests – 23 || Wickets – 106 || Average – 24.36
ODIs – 38 || Wickets – 46 || Average – 33.13
T20I – 11 || Wickets – 13 || Average – 26.38
While the others did not have fate in their hands, Mohammad Asif unforgivably brought his career to an abrupt end on his own. A pacer who troubled the best of batsmen, although he was riddled with controversies, Asif’s talent was never in doubt. Him coming to bowl was a sign that there is an inevitable wicket round the corner. His record of more than 100 wickets in just 26 Tests is proof of the same.
In 2010, Asif deliberately bowled a no-ball against England that got his name in the spot-fixing scandal. He was banned for seven years, and Asif never returned to the game. Hence, he is one of the promising cricketers whose careers ended too soon.
5) Craig Kieswetter (England) – Retired At The Age Of 27
ODIs – 46 || Runs – 1054 || Average – 30.11
T20I – 25 || Runs – 526 || Average – 21.91
Craig Kieswetter actually had a decent career before an injury forced him to retire at the age of just 27. The Player of the Match in the final of the 2010 World T20, which England won, Kieswetter was also part of the provisional squad of the 2015 World Cup.
Known for his calculative big-hitting, Kieswetter was England’s first-choice wicket-keeper for almost two years. He scored a century in just his third international game and did not waste time to prove himself. A South African born player, when he was batting for Somerset, a ball penetrated his helmet and later stuck his eye. This led to the damaging of his vision, which made him take retirement in 2017. He then became a professional golfer.
