The year 2024 is coming to an end leaving behind unforgettable moments in cricket. From India winning the T20 World Cup to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) winning their third IPL trophy, and Joe Root surpassing Sir Alastair Cook to become England’s leading Test run-scorer, this year has been full of wins. Nevertheless, it was also marked by some emotional farewells as many iconic players said goodbye to their illustrious careers.
Ravichandran AshwinIndia’s legendary off-spinner surprised fans by retiring from international cricket after the third Test against Australia at the Gabba, Brisbane. The announcement was made unexpectedly, momentarily overshadowing the earlier retirement Virat KohliRavindra Jadeja, and Rohit Sharma From T20Is, he took this decision soon after India’s T20 World Cup win in Barbados.
2024 will be remembered as a bitter-sweet year for cricket lovers. In this, veterans like James Anderson, Shikhar Dhawan, Tim Southee, Dinesh Karthik and David Warner retired. While some stepped away from international cricket altogether, others decided to retire from specific formats, marking the end of an era in the game.
Here is the list of cricketers who retired from one or multiple formats of international cricket in 2024:
Ravichandran Ashwin (International Cricket)
At the age of 38, Ashwin announced his retirement soon after the Gabba Test against Australia. In the middle of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the timing surprised everyone, making it unexpected. Ashwin finished his remarkable international career with 765 wickets across all formats, including 537 wickets in Tests. He retired as India’s second highest wicket taker in international cricket behind the great Anil Kumble.
Despite being away from the international stage, Ashwin’s mastery remains intact. Fans can look forward to seeing him spread his magic in club cricket and IPL. Nevertheless, the void he has left in international cricket is irreplaceable. Hailed as the “scientist” of world cricket, Ashwin’s departure marks the end of an era defined by innovation, intelligence and unmatched skill.
Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja and Rohit Sharma (T20Is)
Moments after India pulled off a thrilling win over South Africa in the T20 World Cup final in Barbados, Kohli announced his retirement from T20Is during the post-match presentation. The 36-year-old Kohli ended his illustrious T20I career with 4,188 runs in 125 matches at an impressive average of 48.69. A two-time Player of the Tournament in the 2014 and 2016 T20 World Cups, Kohli’s contribution to the format has been nothing short of great.
In a dramatic turn of events, just minutes later, Rohit and Jadeja also announced their retirement from T20Is, reaching a career high. Rohit, who played 159 T20Is and scored 4,231 runs, is one of the most prolific scorers in the format. Meanwhile, Jadeja, a versatile all-rounder, scored 515 runs and took 54 wickets in 74 T20Is.
Shikhar Dhawan (all formats of the game)
Shikhar Dhawan announced his retirement from international cricket in August 2024, ending his illustrious career. The brilliant left-hander scored 2,315 runs in Tests, 6,793 runs in ODIs and 1,579 runs in T20Is, which included 17 ODI centuries and seven Test centuries. Known for his aggressive batting at the top of the order, Dhawan played a key role in many of India’s limited overs victories. Dhawan had the ability to rise to the occasion during ICC tournaments, where his performances were often outstanding. His heroics in the 2013 and 2017 Champions Trophy remain in the memories of cricket fans.
Dinesh Karthik (all formats of the game)
Dinesh Karthik announced his retirement just days after the conclusion of IPL 2024. In an emotional Instagram post, he wrote, “I have decided to move on from playing representative cricket. I officially announce my retirement and leave my playing days behind. I look forward to new challenges ahead.” Be prepared.”
Karthik represented Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in IPL 2024, sparking speculation about a possible return to India’s T20 World Cup squad due to his impressive performances as a finisher. However, that opportunity did not come to fruition. During his career, Karthik played 26 Tests, 94 ODIs and 60 T20Is for India, scoring over 3,000 international runs.
Siddharth Kaul (all formats of the game)
Siddharth Kaul announced his retirement from cricket in November 2024, ending his 17-year career. The 34-year-old fast bowler represented India in three ODIs and three T20Is. A key member of India’s U19 World Cup-winning team in 2008, Kaul shared the stage with future stars like Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja.
James Anderson (International Cricket)
England fast bowler James Anderson, considered one of the greatest fast bowlers in the history of cricket, said goodbye to international cricket after the Lord’s Test against West Indies. Anderson finished his illustrious career as the third-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket, ahead of only Muttiah Muralitharan and Shane Warne.
In a poignant moment to mark the occasion, Anderson’s family rang the iconic Lord’s bell as he stepped onto the field for the last time, marking the end of an era in the home of cricket.
David Warner (International Cricket)
David Warner was the first to announce his retirement this year, bringing the curtain on an extraordinary career after his final Test against Pakistan in Sydney. The dynamic left-handed batsman represented Australia in 112 Tests, 161 ODIs and 110 T20Is, scoring an impressive 18,995 runs across all formats.
A cornerstone of Australian cricket, Warner played a key role in the team’s triumphs, including the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup and the 2021 T20 World Cup, cementing his legacy as one of the game’s modern greats.
Neil Wagner (International Cricket)
Left-arm fast bowler Neil Wagner announced his retirement from international cricket in February 2024, just ahead of the series against Australia. He finished his career as the fifth-highest wicket-taker in Tests for New Zealand with 260 wickets at an impressive average of 27.
Known for his relentless aggression and tireless work ethic, Wagner’s strike rate of 52 is second only to New Zealand great Sir Richard Hadlee (50) who took more than 100 Test wickets.
Wagner played 64 Tests, winning 32 of them, and took 143 wickets in those wins at an excellent average of 22. He was a key member of New Zealand’s World Test Championship-winning team in 2021.
Imad Wasim and Mohammad Aamir (International Cricket)
Pakistan’s Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir have announced their retirement from international cricket in December 2024, bringing an end to two impressive careers. Imad, who made his debut against Zimbabwe in May 2015, played 55 ODI and 75 T20 matches for Pakistan. A versatile all-rounder, he scored 1,540 runs and took 117 wickets in 130 international matches.
Aamir, 32, made his international debut in June 2009 and has represented Pakistan in 36 Tests, 61 ODIs and 62 T20Is. Known for his amazing swing and composure under pressure, Amir took 271 international wickets and contributed 1,179 runs across all formats.
Tim Southee (Test)
New Zealand fast bowler Tim Southee retired from Test cricket after the conclusion of the three-match series against England. During his career, Southee played 107 Tests, taking 391 wickets at an average of 30.26. Since making his debut in 2008, he has been a vital part of New Zealand’s bowling attack across all formats, including four ICC Cricket World Cups, seven T20 World Cups, two Champions Trophy tournaments and one World Test Championship (WTC) final. .
Southee played a key role in New Zealand’s victory in the inaugural ICC WTC (2019–21), taking 56 wickets at an excellent average of 20 in the two-year campaign. His performance in the WTC final in Southampton, where he took five wickets, was monumental in securing a historic win.
David Malan (International Cricket)
Former No. 1 ranked ICC T20I batsman, Dawid Malan is among the few England players to have scored centuries in all three international formats. He debuted in 2017 and was known for his brilliant strokeplay and consistency across all formats.
Shannon Gabriel (International Cricket)
West Indies fast bowler Gabriel announced his retirement from international cricket in August 2024. The 36-year-old played 59 Tests, 25 ODIs and two T20 matches for West Indies, taking 202 wickets. He has the fourth best match figures for the West Indies – 13/121. He had recorded these bowling figures against Sri Lanka in June 2018.
Moeen Ali (International Cricket)
England all-rounder Moeen Ali announced his retirement from international cricket in September 2024. Moeen, who made his international debut in 2014, scored 6678 international runs. Apart from this, he also scalped 366 wickets and was a part of England’s 2019 Cricket World Cup and 2022 T20 World Cup-winning teams.
Shakib Al Hasan (T20I)
Shakib, considered one of Bangladesh’s greatest cricketers, retired from T20Is in 2024 but will remain in ODIs till the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. He scored more than 4000 test runs and took 240 wickets and in T20Is he scored 2251 runs and took 149 wickets.
It is important to mention that Shakib has probably retired from Tests as well because he had announced that his farewell match will be against South Africa in Mirpur. However, he did not come to watch the match due to opposition at home.
Mahmudullah (T20I)
Former Bangladesh captain and all-rounder Mahmudullah retired from T20Is, having played more than 130 matches and being the second-highest run-scorer for Bangladesh in the format. He also took 40 wickets in T20I. For now, he has expressed his desire to continue playing ODIs for Bangladesh.
