Kohli, Rohit, Maxwell—as cricket legends bow out, 2025 becomes year of big retirements

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Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell, aged 36, officially retired from ODI cricket Monday, bringing to a close a career that spanned more than ten years and 149 matches. His reputation as one of the game's most dynamic and unpredictable players was well-earned, thanks to his ability to turn matches on their head with explosive batting and inventive strokeplay. Few in world cricket have matched his flair for drama or his knack for producing game-changing moments under pressure.
The year 2025 has been heartbreaking for cricket fans, as several top stars have bid farewell to either one format or completely exited all forms of international cricket.
New Delhi: The 2nd of June was a day marked by shocking retirements in the cricket world. Australian star Glenn Maxwell announced his retirement, and just a few hours later, South African explosive batter Heinrich Klaasen declared his international retirement. Klaasen's decision came as a surprise to many, given his integral role in the Proteas team. With these two power-hitters stepping away, the list of cricketers retiring this year continues to grow.
While Maxwell's career numbers—3,990 runs from 149 matches at an average of 33.81, with four hundreds, 23 fifties, and 77 wickets—may not leap off the page, they only tell part of the story. His true impact is revealed in the finer details. Maxwell was a genuine match-winner for Australia, often delivering when the team needed it most, especially from the middle and lower order.
Wisden notes that Maxwell has scored the fifth-most runs for Australia while batting at positions five or lower, and he leads that group with a strike rate of 123.36. Each of his four ODI centuries came from these positions: Once at No. 5, twice at No. 6—including his unforgettable double century against Afghanistan at the 2023 World Cup while battling injury—and once at No. 7. Only Andrew Symonds, with six, has more centuries for Australia in these roles.
Maxwell's power-hitting is the stuff of legend. Among players with at least 1,000 ODI runs, he boasts the highest strike rate ever by an Australian at 126.70, a figure surpassed globally only by Andre Russell, who played far fewer games. In terms of clearing the ropes, Maxwell stands among the elite: Of the 17 players with at least 150 ODI sixes, only Rohit Sharma has a better sixes-per-innings ratio. A two-time World Cup winner, Maxwell was part of Australia's victorious squads in 2015 and 2023, sealing his place as one of the modern game's most influential and entertaining cricketers.
Klaasen: 'Truly a difficult decision'
South African wicketkeeper-batter Heinrich Klaasen has announced his retirement from international cricket to focus on his future in T20 leagues. Approaching his 34th birthday, Klaasen played his final international match during South Africa's Champions Trophy semi-final loss to New Zealand in Lahore in March, marking the end of a seven-year career across formats.
Klaasen represented South Africa in four Tests, 60 ODIs, and 58 T20Is. While his Test appearances were limited, he made a significant impact in the white-ball formats, earning a reputation as one of the game's most explosive middle-order hitters. His ODI career strike rate ranks among the highest globally, highlighting his aggressive approach. One of his standout innings was a blistering 83-ball 174 against Australia at Centurion in 2023, the highest individual score ever by a batter at No. 5 in ODIs. He was instrumental in South Africa's runs to the semi-finals of the 2023 ODI World Cup and the final of the 2024 T20 World Cup, where his dismissal for a 27-ball 52 against India marked a turning point in the Proteas' chase.
The decision to step away from international cricket had been anticipated after Klaasen was left out of Cricket South Africa's central contracts in April. Having retired from Test cricket in January 2024, he had been on a white-ball-only contract since then. Reflecting on his retirement, Klaasen said, 'It is a sad day for me as I announce that I have decided to step away from international cricket. It took me a long time to decide what's best for me and my family for the future. It was truly a very difficult decision but also one that I have absolute peace with. To have played with the Proteas badge on my chest was and will always be the biggest honour in my career. I look forward to spending more time with my family as this decision will allow me to do so.'
Over his ODI career, Klaasen amassed 2,141 runs in 56 innings at an impressive average of 43.6, primarily batting in the middle order. In the T20Is, he scored exactly 1,000 runs in 58 matches at a blistering strike rate of 141.8, underscoring his role as a powerful finisher for South Africa.
Exit two greats from the Indian Test guard
Two of India's biggest cricketing icons, former captains Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, both announced their retirement from Test cricket in 2025, surprising fans who had expected them to make a final stand during India's upcoming tour of England.
Rohit retired with immediate effect on May 7, followed by Kohli less than a week later on May 12. Their departures mark the end of an era for India's Test side, coming shortly after the retirement of veteran spinner Ravi Ashwin in December 2024 and with prior exclusion of Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara from the team.
As India prepares to usher in a new generation with players like Shubman Gill at the forefront, these retirements signal a significant farewell to the old guard and the trusted leadership that shaped Indian Test cricket over the past decade.
Also read: Kohli is the last superstar of Indian cricket. His impact on the game goes beyond 22 yards
Other notable exits
The exodus of senior cricketers from the international stage in 2025 has been striking, with several former captains and household names stepping away from the game or specific formats. In the 50-over format, Australia saw two major departures: Steve Smith, who retired from ODIs on 5 March after leading his side in the Champions Trophy, and Marcus Stoinis, who made his exit from ODIs on 6 February to focus on T20 cricket. Bangladesh's Mushfiqur Rahim also called time on his ODI career on 5 March, while Mahmudullah, another stalwart for Bangladesh, announced his retirement from all international formats on 12 March.
Test cricket, too, has lost some of its most experienced campaigners. Sri Lanka's Angelo Mathews, a former captain and one of the team's most reliable all-rounders, retired from Tests on 23 May. His compatriot Dimuth Karunaratne, who led Sri Lanka in all three formats, stepped away from Tests,
ODIs, and T20Is on 8 February, marking the end of an era for Sri Lankan cricket leadership.
This pattern of exits underscores a generational shift in world cricket, as players who have shaped their teams' identities over the past decade make way for new faces. For fans, 2025 will be remembered as a year of emotional farewells and the dawn of a new chapter in international cricket.
(Edited by Viny Mishra)
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