The year 2025 has established a milestone in international cricket as several notable players, particularly Indians, announced their departures to officially conclude celebrated chapters. Here is a detailed overview of the legendary cricketers who announced their retirement in 2025, that includes Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara.
Indian Cricket Legends Retiring in 2025
- Virat Kohli retired from Test Cricket after 123 matches, 9,230 runs, and 30 centuries in an illustrious career, known for aggressive captaincy, successful batting, and now leaves a permanent mark on Indian cricket and world history. Off the back of his 2024 T20 World Cup victory, Kohli remains only active in ODIs, having previously retired from T20I format.
- Rohit Sharma, India’s captain, retired from Test cricket and Test captaincy after 67 matches, 4,301 runs and 12 centuries with Known for his relaxed attitude and tactical prowess. Rohit had previously retired from T20Is and remained active in ODIs.
- Cheteshwar Pujara retired from Test cricket after a formidable Test career, playing 103 matches for 7,195 runs including 19 centuries. Dominating doggedness and resolve was the hallmark of many of India’s Test series victories throughout the 2010’s and 2020’s.
Other Important Retirements Around The Globe
- Steve Smith (Australia) chose to retire from ODI cricket while scoring 5800 runs in 170 ODIs, but is available for Test and T20 matches.
- Glenn Maxwell (Australia) chose to retire from ODI cricket while completing an unbelievable run as ODI cricket’s most explosive all-rounder, scoring 3990 runs in 149 matches.
- Piyush Chawla (India) chose to retire from all formats of the game. Chawla will forever be remembered as a T20 World Cup (2007) and ODI World Cup (2011) champion.
- Nicholas Pooran (West Indies), at 29, shocked everyone when he retired from international cricket, all formats of domestic or international cricket, to focus on franchise cricket all over the world. Pooran is also the all-time leader in runs in any T20I matches for the Windies.
- Martin Guptill (New Zealand) retired from international cricket in all formats but was a very good opener in all formats.
- Also, there were others who retired in 2022 and 2023, Rishi Dhawan (India), Varun Aaron (India), Tamim Iqbal (Bangladesh), Wriddhiman Saha (India), Dimuth Karunaratne (Sri Lanka), Shapoor Zadran (Afghanistan), a couple of others I think which have retired from international cricket.
End of An Era
This wave of retirements is an emotional farewell for fans as well as an opening for the new stars of world cricket. The memories of Kohli, Sharma, Pujara and their international contemporaries will be cherished and also hope to motivate the next generation of champions of the sport.
This information is based on publicly available announcements and reports regarding player retirements in 2025. Official confirmations may vary, and fans are advised to follow verified sources for the latest updates.
Vani Verma is a content writer with over 2 years of experience in lifestyle, entertainment, health and digital media. She has a knack for creating engaging and research-driven content that resonates with readers, blending creativity with clarity. Passionate about media trends, culture, and storytelling, she strives to craft content that informs, inspires, and connects.