The year 2024 witnessed the retirement of over two dozen international cricketers, either from all formats or specific ones. Among the notable names were India’s legendary duo, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who stepped away from T20Is after leading the nation to victory in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. By year’s end, another Indian great, Ravichandran Ashwin, also bid farewell to international cricket.
Veteran openers David Warner and Shikhar Dhawan retired from all formats, while cricketing stalwarts like James Anderson, Shakib Al Hasan, and Tim Southee also announced their exits from the international stage.
Pakistan’s Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim made headlines by retiring from international cricket for the second time. Meanwhile, seasoned wicketkeepers Wriddhiman Saha and Matthew Wade chose to call time on their illustrious careers.
3. Rishi Dhawan (White-ball)
Pace-bowling all-rounder Rishi Dhawan became the first cricketer to officially retire from Indian limited-overs cricket in 2025. The 34-year-old played three ODIs and one T20I for India in 2016, taking just two wickets. Known for his domestic cricket exploits, Rishi captained Himachal Pradesh to their maiden Vijay Hazare Trophy win in the 2021-22 season.
Over his career spanning from 2007 to January 2025, he played 134 List-A matches and 135 T20s. In the IPL, Dhawan represented Mumbai Indians and Punjab Kings across 39 matches, taking 25 wickets and scoring 210 runs. He was part of the MI squad that won the IPL 2013. Despite retiring from limited-overs cricket, Rishi will continue to play First-Class cricket.
2. Martin Guptill (All formats)
New Zealand’s prolific opener Martin Guptill announced his retirement from international cricket on January 8, 2025. Making his debut in 2009, Guptill amassed an illustrious career, playing 198 ODIs, 122 T20Is, and 47 Tests. He is New Zealand’s highest scorer in T20Is with 3531 runs and their third-highest scorer in ODIs with 7346 runs, including 23 centuries.
Guptill also holds the record for New Zealand’s only men’s ODI double century, an unbeaten 237 against the West Indies in the 2015 World Cup quarter-final. His remarkable achievements have cemented his legacy as one of New Zealand’s finest batters.
1. Varun Aaron (All formats)
Jharkhand pacer Varun Aaron retired from representative cricket on January 10, 2025. Known for his express pace, Aaron was once India’s fastest bowler, clocking speeds over 150 KPH during his debut years. Between 2011 and 2015, he played nine Tests and nine ODIs for India, claiming 29 wickets.
Injuries, however, hampered his career significantly. Aaron’s domestic cricket journey began in 2008, and he featured in 66 First-Class matches, 88 List-A games, and 95 T20s, collecting over 400 wickets.
In the IPL, Aaron played across nine seasons for teams like Delhi Daredevils, Kings XI Punjab, Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Gujarat Titans. He was part of the Gujarat Titans squad that clinched the IPL 2022 title.