7 cricketers who retired midway through a Test series

Johnson is the latest in the ‘retiring’ faculty list“I just lost that hunger to play on these tough days, and that's where my decision came. I felt like I couldn't compete at this level anymore."These were the words spoken by outgoing Mitchell Johnson who recently, and more surprisingly, retired from all forms of the cricket at WACA, Perth. If his losing prowess in the bowling was easily visible in his figures and his sapping vitality, the news of his retirement left many in bewilderment as he left off the field amid the ongoing series between New Zealand and Australia.His retirement once again brought back the nuances of this “Gentlemen’s game” that forces the cricketers’ to retire before completing the obligation of a full series. Here is a list of players who called it off midway through a series:

#7 Allan Donald

His injury-prone body compelled him to retire before the closure of the series against Australia.

In a home series against Australia in the year 2002, this deadly and attacking fast bowler from South Africa announced his retirement with two Tests to go in the series. Explaining his decision with a heavy heart, Donald said, "I have reached a stage where I am tired of letting myself, my team and my country down with my injuries."

One of the finest bowlers’ to have played the game for South Africa, he took 330 wickets at an astonishing average of 22.25 and was heavily let down by the constant fitness issues that obstructed his career in the year 2001-02.

Later on, he became the bowling coach for South Africa and boasts of creating a pace battery consisting of Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander.