The year 2025 brought a series of stunning announcements, with several prominent cricketers choosing to retire unexpectedly. This wave of retirements left fans and the cricketing community in a state of disbelief. From young talents to seasoned veterans, the decisions were surprising and impactful. Here’s a look at the players who announced their retirement in 2025.
Nicholas Pooran
West Indies cricketer Nicholas Pooran shocked everyone by retiring from international cricket at the age of 29. The former T20I captain, who recently played in the IPL for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), shared his decision through a heartfelt message on Instagram. In his international career, Pooran played 61 T20Is and 106 ODIs, amassing over 4000 runs across both formats.
Virat Kohli
India’s star batter Virat Kohli announced his shocking retirement from the Test format in May 2025. This announcement came just before the England tour, which was set to begin on June 20. Kohli had previously retired from T20Is in June 2024 after leading India to victory in the Men’s T20 World Cup. He will now focus exclusively on the ODI format. In Test matches, Kohli scored 9230 runs in 123 matches, including 30 centuries and 31 half-centuries.
Rohit Sharma
Indian captain Rohit Sharma also unexpectedly retired from the Test format, opting to concentrate on ODIs. The 38-year-old had already retired from T20Is after winning the T20 World Cup. Sharma played 67 Tests, scoring 4301 runs, including 12 centuries and 18 half-centuries.
Heinrich Klaasen
South Africa’s wicket-keeper batter Heinrich Klaasen surprised everyone with his retirement announcement this June. He decided to prioritize his family and franchise cricket. He played 60 ODIs and 58 T20Is during his international career.
Glenn Maxwell
Glenn Maxwell, one of the world’s strongest ODI batters, announced his retirement from the ODI format at the age of 36. Recurring back issues and the need to manage his workload were cited as reasons. He played 149 ODIs, scoring 3990 runs, including 4 centuries and 23 half-centuries.
Steve Smith
Australian star batter Steve Smith retired from One Day Internationals after the Champions Trophy exit. He played 170 ODI matches, scoring 5,800 runs, including 12 centuries and 35 half-centuries.