Numerous cricketers say goodbye to either the international format or the sport as a whole with each passing year. Every cricket player’s career will inevitably end with retirement, but it’s unusual for someone to return to the game after doing so.
It’s vital to keep in mind that Shahid Afridi, a famous cricketer from Pakistan, wasn’t the first to make a return. Having said that, present a list of eight popular cricketers who made a comeback after retirement.
List of cricketers who came out of retirement
Bob Simpson (Australia)
Following 52 Test matches in which he represented Australia, Bob Simpson gave from playing in 1968. He did, however, make a comeback to international cricket in 1977 for a particular cause. The Australian team had been badly reduced by the 1970s’ World Series Cricket (WSC), which was founded by Kerry Packer.
At the age of 42, Simpson led the team against India over ten years after he had left international competition. With Simpson’s 539 runs at an average of 53.90, four wickets, and six catches, Australia eventually won the series 3-2. Later, Simpson was succeeded as captain by Graham Yallop in a series against the West Indies that the hosts won 3-1.
Imran Khan (Pakistan)
Imran Khan is regarded as the finest captain in the history of the Pakistan cricket team and is well known for his charismatic personality and management style. He made his international debut in 1971, and after the 1987 World Cup, he made his first retirement announcement. He was convinced to return by Pakistan’s President Zia-Ul-Haq, and he did so magnificently by leading Pakistan to victory in the 1992 World Cup.
Javed Miandad (Pakistan)
Javed Miandad is regarded as Pakistan’s best batsman of all time, with Imran Khan being regarded as the country’s greatest captain of all time. One of the greatest batsmen of all time, Miandad is renowned for his last-ball six against Chetan Sharma in 1986 against India.
Similar to Imran, Miandad also came out of retirement, although he did so in just 10 days after being urged by Benazir Bhutto, the then-prime minister of Pakistan, to continue playing for the team till the 1996 World Cup. During the competition, Miandad only managed to score 54 runs across three innings before calling it a day at the age of 39.
Carl Hooper (West Indies)
Three weeks prior to the 1999 globe Cup, this former Caribbean cricketer startled the globe by announcing his retirement. He unexpectedly made a comeback in 2001, though, and led the West Indies team at the 2003 World Cup. Hooper was kept in the lineup despite some subpar tournament showings. However, this time he deliberately left the game and retired, saying he wanted a more youthful player to take his position.
Grant Flower (Zimbabwe)
Several players threatened to quit the game after Heath Streak was fired as the captain of the Zimbabwe cricket team in 2004. Grant Flower and 13 other players declared their retirement after Streak was not reinstated. However, Grant unexpectedly joined the Zimbabwe team in 2010 after a six-year absence. Grant withdrew owing to poor form in 2010, ending his international career even though Alastair Campbell wanted him to play through the 2011 World Cup.
Brendan Taylor (Zimbabwe)
The Zimbabwean cricketer Brendan Taylor declared his retirement from international competition in 2015. He did, however, stage a stunning comeback and rejoin the Zimbabwe national squad in 2017. Taylor has been a reliable performer for his club ever since he made a comeback, contributing as a wicketkeeper-batsman with both the bat and the gloves. He still plays a crucial role in Zimbabwe’s cricket setup.
Dwayne Bravo (West Indies)
Initially quitting international cricket in 2018, the West Indies all-rounder returned in 2020 to take part in the T20I series against Ireland. He has stated that he would like to play in the upcoming T20 World Cup. With more than 500 wickets, Bravo holds the T20 cricket record for most dismissals. He keeps playing T20 cricket in different leagues throughout the world.
Shahid Afridi (Pakistan)
The Pakistani cricketer Shahid Afridi, who is regarded as one of the best all-rounders of the twenty-first century, is better known for his post-retirement comebacks than for his cricketing abilities. In 2006, Afridi initially declared his temporary retirement from Test cricket. He then returned in 2010, this time as the skipper.
Before ending his career as a Test cricket captain, he captained the team for just one match. After Tests, he left One-Day Internationals (ODIs) after the 2011 World Cup because to disagreements with Waqar Younis as his head coach. He later returned to the ODI squad in 2011, though, and competed till the 2015 World Cup while Misbah-ul-Haq served as captain.
Now, Afridi is all set to retire from the remaining format, T20Is, with reports suggesting that his final international match might be against West Indies in the UAE, expected to be a solitary farewell match.
Tamim Iqbal (Bangladesh): The most recent addition to the List of 10 cricketers who came out of retirement
Three months before the 2023 ODI World Cup in India and one day after Bangladesh’s defeat to Afghanistan, Tamim Iqbal announced the end of his remarkable career in a sad news conference. Tamim reversed course, though, following a statement from Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Read further: Tamim Iqbal reverses International Retirement after Bangladesh PM’s intervention
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