5 well timed retirements in modern Test cricket
“Everything has to come to an end, sometime.” L. Frank Baum, The Marvelous Land of OzThis is the universal truth; however, the manner in which the end comes can often differentiate between the ordinary and the extraordinary. Test cricket has been privileged with quite a few extraordinary career climaxes. Don Bradman’s non-tryst with the three figure final career batting average, Sunil Gavaskar’s retirement after arguably one of the best innings of his life, Muttiah Muralitharan’s fairytale scaling of the 800 wicket mountain off the last delivery of his Test career, etc., to name a few.While the love for fame, fortune, and the game itself has persuaded many a cricketing great to hold on to their career by the skin of their teeth, often resulting in taking the sheen off that greatness, there have been a few who have managed to quit while on top, and on their own terms. The following slideshow takes a look at five modern Test cricket greats whose retirements were well timed.
#5 VVS Laxman
A few days prior to the 1st Test between India and New Zealand at Hyderabad in August 2012, VVS Laxman shocked selectors, team mates and fans alike, by deciding to retire with immediate effect, forgoing the luxury of a farewell Test in front of his home crowd.
The stylish Hyderabadi batsman registered a batting average of 41.2 in what turned out to be his final season (2011-12). Hardly a failure, and though he disappointed during India’s 0-4 thrashing at the hands of Australia in the 2011-12 Border Gavaskar Trophy, his intense training during the off-season and the lead up to India’s first Test match of the new season, did result in a few eyeborows being raised when the announcement came.
Speculations were rife about harsh criticism, in the wake of another Indian great Rahul Dravid’s retirement after the Australian debacle, being the cause of the untimely decision, but that would not explain the spirited preparations Laxman was in the midst of.
Former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly cited chairman of selectors Krishnamachari Srikkanth’s handling of senior players as a possible factor:
"Srikkanth has a big problem in communicating. A player like Laxman would not train so hard just to keep himself fit for two Tests. If they (selectors) conveyed their opinion to Laxman earlier, this situation would not have surfaced. Why they stretched till August? Probably, the selectors' judgement has hurt him (Laxman) the most," Ganguly said.
Amid an ocean of rumours, the most logical theory came forth from an unknown source. As reported by the Times of India:
‘It is also being speculated that one of the selectors had called Laxman after picking the team and told him that this would be his farewell series. That hurt the veteran and is believed to be the main reason for his decision. In a way he wanted to hit back at the selectors and tell them that 'I would retire on my own terms.’
If true, Laxman’s retirement was timed as sweetly as some of the lovely flicks off his legs – a fitting reply to a system which still believes that dangling a farewell Test in front of a senior can absolve them of supreme callousness.