In cricket history, we have seen many great players who have revolutionized cricket. Many countries have produced plenty of great cricketers. Some of these cricketers have influenced and have the brightest brains in cricket. There are many incidents where these greats have given unforgettable memories to their teams. But when these cricketers retired, they shook the entire cricket world, and many people got emotional. So, here’s a list of the top ten best cricketers retired each year.
1. Steve Waugh, 2004
Steve Waugh is one of the greatest batsmen and skippers that Australia has ever produced. He has one of the most brilliant cricketing brains. Under his captaincy, Australia won the 1999 World Cup. Steve Waugh debuted against India in 1985, scoring 13 in 1st and five runs in 2nd innings and taking two wickets in the 1st innings. In 2004, this legendary player announced his retirement and played his last match against India in Sydney, scoring 40 in 1st innings and 80 runs in 2nd innings.
2. Brian Lara, 2007
Very few batters can score 300 runs in a test innings, but Brian Lara is a batsman who scored 400 runs in an innings of a test match. Undoubtedly, he is one of the best batsmen that West Indies has ever produced. This legendary batsman debuted against Pakistan in 1990, where Lara could score only 11 runs. Brian Lara played his last match against England in the ICC World Cup 2007, where he scored only 18 runs. After the 2007 one-day World Cup, Brian Lara took the retirement from all formats of cricket.
3. Ricky Ponting, 2012
No one can forget the Australian team of Ricky Ponting’s era, where Australia used to dominate every team in all formats of cricket. He is the only captain to win two one-day World Cups. Undoubtedly, Ricky Ponting is one of the most incredible batters that cricket has ever witnessed. In 1995, he played his first match against South Africa, where Ponting could score only one run. After 1999, when he became Australia’s skipper, we saw an unstoppable Australian team. In 2012, Ricky Ponting played his last test match against South Africa. After this, he announced his retirement from cricket.
4. Sachin Tendulkar, 2013
The cricket world knows that Sachin Tendulkar is the greatest batsman it has ever witnessed. No batter comes close to him regarding technique, dedication, and determination. The “God of Cricket” has represented India for 24 years. Sachin Tendulkar debuted against Pakistan in 1989, where he could score only 15 runs in 1st innings. After 24 years, Sachin Tendulkar played his last match against West Indies, where he scored 74 runs, and after that, he announced his retirement from international cricket.
5. Kumar Sangakkara, 2015
Kumar Sangakkara is one of the batting legends in the cricketing world. His elegant cover drives and cut shots were mesmerizing. Undoubtedly, Kumar Sangakkara is one of the best players Sri Lanka has ever seen. This great batsman debuted against Pakistan in 2000, scoring Sangakkara, and played 15 years for Sri Lanka, scoring more than 28,000 runs for Sri Lanka. In the 2015 ICC World Cup, Kumar Sangakkara scored four centuries, and he was the second-highest run scorer in the 2015 World Cup. After the 2015 World Cup, Kumar Sangakkara took retirement from international cricket.
6. AB de Villiers, 2018
AB de Villiers retirement is one of the most shocking retirements that shocked the entire cricketing world. He is one of the most versatile batsmen who could play in any form of cricket. In ODI, he has the record of the fastest ODI century in international cricket. This destructive batsman debuted against England in 2004, where AB de Villiers scored 28 runs in 1st and 14 in 2nd innings. He represented South Africa for 14 years in international cricket, and in 2018, de Villiers played his last match against Australia, where South Africa won by 492 runs. Also 2018, AB de Villiers announced his retirement from international cricket.
7. Yuvraj Singh, 2019
Yuvraj Singh is one of the most talented players that India has ever produced. He is one of the best all-rounders in ODI cricket. In big ICC tournaments, Yuvraj Singh has been one of the clutch players for India. Yuvraj Singh played 17 years for India. In 2000, he debuted against Kenya, where Yuvraj did not get a chance to bat. After this, he fixed his position in ODI cricket for India. Yuvraj Singh played his last match against West Indies in 2017, scoring 39 runs. But in 2019, Yuvraj Singh announced his retirement from international cricket.
8. MS Dhoni, 2020
In 2020, MS Dhoni announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket. His retirement shook the cricketing world, and many cricket viewers became emotional. Dhoni debuted against Bangladesh in 2004, in which he got run out for a duck. In the 2019 ICC World Cup, MS Dhoni played his last international match against New Zealand, where he scored 50 runs. Coincidentally, in his previous game, MS Dhoni got run out. On 15th August 2020, he took his retirement with an Instagram post.
9. Dale Steyn, 2021
Dale Steyn is one of the most lethal and complete fats-bowlers that South Africa has ever seen. He could swing the ball in both ways and bowl at a raw pace. In his prime, Dale Steyn was invincible as he was the world's No. 1 test bowler for six years. This legendary fast-bowler debuted against England in 2004, taking three wickets. Even though Dale Steyn took his retirement from test cricket in 2019. But in 2021, Dale Steyn announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket.
10. Stuart Broad, 2023
Stuart Broad is one of the best swing bowlers that England has ever produced. After getting six sixes from Yuvraj Singh, Stuart Broad made one of the most inspirational comebacks in cricket history. In 2006, he debuted in an ODI against Pakistan, where Stuart Broad took a wicket. But he is one of the greatest bowlers in history in test cricket. Recently, in 2023, Stuart Broad played his last test match against Australia, where England won by 49 runs. After this Ashes series, Stuart Broad announced his retirement from international cricket.
