© Shailesh Nigam, Varun Khanna (for respective articles)
Michael Vaughan, one of the most successfull England captain and definitely Engaland's most successfull test captain has called it a day in his 34th year. He has more than 50% win record in tests, most prestigeous of his feats being bringing back the elusive Ashes to England after 18 years in 2005 under his captaincy. His small but illustrious carrier spanned a decade. More of a test player, he scored 5719 runs for England in 82 matches at an average of 41+ with 18 centuries. England and world cricket will miss this Yorkshire man for his class and poise. Good luck and Goodbye Frankie!!!
One of the things hugely debated in Cricket (specially in India) is the timing of a retirement. I guess it is time to have a little poll on what the readers on this blog think.
When do you think a cricketer should retire?
a) At a particular age (say 35)
b) When one is out of form (say, if he fails in his last five outings)
c) When the selectors make him sit out for a season or two
d) When the player is at the peak of success
e) When a player (himself) thinks he is unable to meet physical demands of the game.
My personal belief is that a cricketer knows when to hang his boots. It is the time when he realises that his body is unable to meet the demands of international cricket. Age is hardly a barrier considering Sanath Jayasuriya, form is temporary and selections are often marred with politics. A player would want to make the most at his peak so why retire?
One also acknowledges that the players, particularly in Indian sub-continent, more often than not find it difficult to identify lack of their utility for the team and thus retire in shadows of controversies. Cricket is a big thing in these parts of the world and the players are often intoxicated with the attention they receive while they are playing. They know that once they are off the field all the attention and the moolah seems to evaporate.
One really hopes that the players from sub-continent realise it when their time comes and have a heroic exits as their counterparts around the world. Anil Kumble is one man who will be hugely respected for this.
Good to point out what our ageing cricketers should consider while planning their retirement. The poll is nice, except that I think it lacks one option, which for me is the most apt option: "When a player has crossed a threshold age (say 35), and when he has consistently failed in at least 3 successive series, irrespective of his heroics of the past". That, for me, is when the person should hang his boots (or gloves).
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