The year 2025 became a year of surprises in the cricketing world, with several top players unexpectedly announcing their retirement from the sport. Among the most notable was West Indies’ Nicholas Pooran, who retired from international cricket at the young age of 29. This sudden move, along with others, left fans and analysts alike in a state of shock. Here is a list of the cricketers who decided to hang up their boots unexpectedly in 2025.
Nicholas Pooran
Nicholas Pooran’s decision to retire from international cricket at 29 caught everyone off guard. The former T20I captain, last seen playing in the IPL for Lucknow Super Giants, shared his retirement news with a heartfelt message on Instagram. During his international career, Pooran played 61 T20Is and 106 ODIs, accumulating over 4000 runs in both formats.
Virat Kohli
Indian batting star Virat Kohli also surprised everyone with his retirement from Test cricket in May 2025. This decision came just before the England tour, starting June 20. Kohli had previously retired from T20Is in June 2024 after winning the Men’s T20 World Cup. He will now focus 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. He is now focusing solely on ODIs. The 38-year-old had previously 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 African wicket-keeper batter Heinrich Klaasen announced his retirement this June, surprising everyone. He chose to prioritize his family and franchise cricket. He played 60 ODIs and 58 T20Is during his international career.
Glenn Maxwell
One of the world’s strongest ODI batters, Glenn Maxwell, announced his retirement from the ODI format at the age of 36. He cited recurring back issues and the need to manage his workload. 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.