In 2024, several top international cricket stars retired from the sport, marking the end of illustrious careers that significantly impacted cricket worldwide. Their retirements followed major tournaments and achievements, reflecting their contributions to the game and leaving a legacy for future generations.
10. Dean Elgar (All Formats)
South African opener Dean Elgar announced his retirement from international cricket prior to the 2023-24 Test series against India. Over his career, he played 86 Tests and 8 ODIs, amassing 5,347 runs at an average of 37.92, including 14 centuries. Elgar captained the national team in 18 Tests, securing 9 victories.
9. David Warner (All Formats)
David Warner announced his retirement from Test cricket in June 2023 during the Ashes series in England, with plans for his final series against Pakistan at home. He also retired from ODIs on New Year’s Day. Over his career, Warner played 112 Tests, scoring 8,786 runs, and 161 ODIs, accumulating 6,932 runs, with a total of 48 centuries across formats. He retired from T20Is after the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 in June.
8. Heinrich Klaasen (Tests)
South African wicket-keeper Heinrich Klaasen retired from Test cricket in 2024 to focus on limited-overs formats. He made his debut against India in October 2019 and played only three more Tests, scoring a total of 108 runs. His final Test match was against the West Indies in March 2023 at the Wanderers in Johannesburg.
7. Colin Munro (All Formats)
New Zealand opener Colin Munro retired from international cricket in May 2024 after being overlooked for the T20 World Cup. Munro, who played 65 T20Is with his last appearance in 2020, had hoped to represent his country in 2024 but was not selected despite his participation in franchise cricket. He also featured in 57 ODIs and one Test match during his career.
6. Dinesh Karthik (All Formats)
Veteran Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik announced his retirement from all forms of cricket, including the IPL, after not being selected for India’s T20 World Cup 2024 squad. His career included 94 ODIs, 60 T20Is, and 26 Tests, with his last international appearance at the 2022 T20 World Cup.
5. David Wiese (All Formats)
All-rounder David Wiese concluded his international cricket career after the T20 World Cup 2024, having represented both South Africa and Namibia. He played a total of 54 T20Is and 15 ODIs, leaving South African cricket in 2016 for a Kolpak deal. Wiese debuted for Namibia in 2021 and played a key role in their qualification for the 2021 T20 World Cup Super 12s in the UAE, featuring in 34 T20Is and nine ODIs for Namibia. He plans to continue playing in T20 franchise leagues.
4. Sybrand Engelbrecht (All Formats)
Netherlands batsman Sybrand Engelbrecht retired from international cricket after the T20 World Cup 2024. He played 12 ODIs and 12 T20Is since making his debut in 2023. Born in Johannesburg in 1988, Engelbrecht represented South Africa in the 2008 Under-19 World Cup but retired in 2016 to focus on his career in finance and project management. He returned to cricket in 2021 after relocating to the Netherlands for work.
3. Virat Kohli (T20Is)
In the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 final, India’s star batsman Virat Kohli announced his retirement from T20I cricket while receiving the Man of the Match award. His crucial innings of 76 helped secure India’s victory over South Africa in the final. Kohli retires as the second-highest T20I run-scorer and a two-time Player of the Tournament at the T20 World Cups.
2. Rohit Sharma (T20Is)
After leading India to victory in the T20 World Cup 2024, Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from T20Is. He became only the third Indian captain to win a World Cup trophy. At the time of his retirement, Rohit was the leading run-scorer in T20Is and the second-highest run-scorer in the T20 World Cup 2024.
1. Ravindra Jadeja (T20Is)
After helping India win the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, Ravindra Jadeja retired from T20Is, joining Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in stepping away from the shortest format. He announced his decision on social media the day after India’s victory. Jadeja played 74 T20Is from 2009 to 2024, scoring 515 runs and taking 54 wickets for India. He will continue to represent India in other formats of the game.