11 cricketers who emphatically proved they did not care for personal milestones and records
11 cricketers who proved they didn't care for personal milestones and records
MS Dhoni retired from Test cricket with 90 matches and 294 dismissals. He had the opportunity to go on to become the first Indian wicketkeeper to play 100 Tests and notch 300 dismissals in the format. Instead, he decided to walk away, unaffected by the prospect of the record. History is replete with examples of players who have put their team’s cause ahead of personal milestones.
H Natarajan and Nishad Pai Vaidya pick 11 players who emphatically proved that they did not care for records and milestones.
1. Greg Chappell
He announced his retirement from Test cricket when he was just 69 runs away from beating Sir Don Bradman’s Test aggregate of 6996 as the then highest run-getter for Australia. The announcement to quit Tests was also made when Chappell was just one catch away from equaling the then highest number of catches in Test cricket by a non-wicketkeeper, held by Colin Cowdrey with 120 catches. Fittingly, Chappell got both the records; he scored 182 in his farewell innings, in the process becoming the first man to score a century in his first and last Test innings, and ending his Test career with 122 catches.
2. Rodney Marsh
He was still in great form behind the wickets, taking 21 catches in his final Test series which gave him a haul of 49 from his last two series — 10 Tests. He was just four matches away from playing his hundredth Test when he decided to retire.
3. Dennis Lillee
The legendary Australian pace bowler retired alongside Greg Chappell and Rodney Marsh after the end of the fifth and final Test against Pakistan on January 6, 1984. Like, Chappell and Marsh, Lillee too went out on a high note. He ended his final Test with figures of eight for 153 and a wicket off the last ball he bowled in his farewell Test. The c Marsh b Lillee combine was instrumental in 95 dismissals — still a Test record. But neither of the men thought much of becoming the first ‘keeper-bowler pair to stay just a wee bit longer and register hundred dismissals in Test.
4. Mark Taylor
Mark Taylor batted with extraordinary powers of concentration during the Peshawar Test against Pakistan in 1998. He dug himself in for the first two days to amass an unbeaten 334 — a score that put him on a par with Sir Don Bradman’s highest Test score. He was also in sight of the then Test highest score by a batsman — Brian Lara’s 375. As Day Three dawned on the Arbab Niaz Stadium, the world watched in anticipation of Taylor getting to a new high in Tests. However, Taylor had declared the innings! Though the legend is that he did it as a mark of respect to the Don, but he did it for the team’s cause. With 599 on the board, Taylor wanted to go for a victory over the remaining three days.
5. Adam Gilchrist
Adam Gilchrist took the field against India in Adelaide for the 96th time in the Baggy Green. The wicketkeeper batsman looked fit and still in his zone to continue for another year or so. However, a dropped chance pushed him towards introspection and he announced his retirement during the Test match. Gilchrist had a chance to go on to play 100 Tests, but sacrificed the opportunity to make way for the younger Brad Haddin to take over. Gilchrist’s act was selfless for he continued to feature in T20 leagues until 2013. Had he continued even a year more, he could have easily completed 100 Tests.
6. Muttiah Muralitharan
The great off-spinner announced his retirement from classical format ahead of the first Test against India at Galle in 2010. Muttiah Muralitharan made quite a brave call as he was on 792 Test wickets, needing only eight for the next milestone. Muralitharan wanted to continue through to the 2011 World Cup and keep his body fresh for the big event in the subcontinent. But, with 792 wickets, there was always that risk of losing the opportunity to get to the 800-mark milestone. Instead, he went on to take eight wickets in the match. It was almost scripted by the heavens as he took the last wicket of India’s second innings to get to the 800-mark.
7. Michael Clarke
Clarke did a Taylor in Sydney against India in 2012. At the end of Day Two, he was unbeaten on 251 and looking almost unshakable. Many wondered whether he will carry on challenging some landmarks as he had time on his side. However, when on 329, he decided to declare with a lead of 468. Clarke’s decision as captain was lauded for he could have gone on to break a few records and milk the form of his life. Instead, he chose to allow his team to wrap the Test match quicker.
8. Ricky Ponting
Ponting had trained hard for the home series against South Africa in 2012. He not only got himself into better shape, but he also hit tons of runs in Shield cricket. But the pace-battery led by Dale Steyn exposed his slowing reflexes and he was embarrassed in Adelaide when he fell over while playing a full delivery. Ahead of the third Test in Perth, he decided to call it time despite many within the system persuading him not to. Ponting featured in his 168th Test at Perth, which put him on a par with Steve Waugh as the most capped played for Australia in Test cricket. He had the chance to carry on and play his 169th game, which would have come against Sri Lanka at his home ground in Hobart, but decided to walk away.
9. Jacques Kallis
Jacques Kallis had been a dominant force through his career but the year 2013 was a tough ride for him. Towards the end of the year, the pressure was on him as the runs had dried up. Following a failure against India in Johannesburg, he announced his retirement ahead of the Boxing Day Test. Heading into that game, he needed 115 runs to surpass Rahul Dravid to become Test cricket’s second highest run-scorer. Also, he was eight wickets shy of 300 scalps and a catch short of recording 200. Though Kallis did not pick up a wicket in the game, he did get exactly 115 to overhaul Dravid. He also picked a solitary catch to reach 200. It was a fairytale finish as South Africa won the Test and Kallis ended as Test cricket’s leading run-scorer, only behind Sachin Tendulkar.
10. Mahela Jayawardene
Mahela Jayawardene announced his retirement from Test cricket in July 2014, with a few games left at home. The Sri Lankan great wanted to bid goodbye to the classical format in front of home fans and did so at the end of the second Test against Pakistan in Colombo. Jayawardene finished on exactly 149 Tests and had the chance to go on to become the first Sri Lankan to feature in 150. He called it time without bothering for the impending mark.
11. MS Dhoni
MS Dhoni’s decision to retire from Test cricket surprised many as it came in the midst of a series Down Under. However, he quit to allow Virat Kohli to take over and to put all his energies on the upcoming ICC World Cup 2015. Dhoni retired with 90 Tests to his credit and could have become the first Indian wicketkeeper to play 100. He finished with 294 Test dismissals, putting him within sight of 300. However, he did manage to become India’s leading run-scorer as Test captain during his last Test.
(H Natarajan is a journalistic schizophrenic who oscillates between two polar opposite forms of writing — analytical and insightful on the one hand, and rib-tickling humour on the other.
Nishad Pai Vaidya is a Correspondent with CricketCountry and anchor for the site’s YouTube Channel. His Twitter handle is @nishad_45)