Cricket greats are known for their long-lasting high performance, overcoming tough conditions and the passage of time. However, even the best sometimes struggle to choose the right moment to retire.
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy features two modern batting giants, Virat Kohli and Steve Smith, facing this challenge. Both have scored centuries in the series yet their form has been concerning for their fans.
Kohli’s average has dropped from a peak of 55 to 47. Smith’s average is currently 56, down from a high of 65. The general decline in Test averages globally is a factor.
Among cricketers with 100 Test matches and 7,000 runs, only 18 maintain a 50+ average. Just three, Kumar Sangakkara, Steve Smith, and Jacques Kallis, average over 55 as per Wisden.
Final career stats don’t always reflect peak performance, as averages can decline due to various factors.
Ricky Ponting‘s final average of 51.85 might seem impressive, but it’s considered a disappointment by some. His average peaked at 59.99 in December 2006 after 107 Tests and remained above 59 until late 2007.
By 2009’s end, it had fallen to 55. From 2009 to 2012, Ponting averaged 37.76 in 41 Tests, scoring four centuries, three at home. This decline extended to ODIs, signaling a broader dip as he approached 35. He played his last Test just before turning 38.
Mahela Jayawardene’s average dropped below 50 only in his final Test. It had reached 55 in November 2009, but he averaged under 40 in his last 40 Tests.
Between 2011 and 2013, his yearly averages were 24.61, 35, and 34.25, respectively. Three centuries, including a double-century in his final year, partially offset this decline.
Alastair Cook‘s average hit 50 during the 2012 India tour, then declined, briefly rising again in 2015. He scored only one century in his last ten Tests, which came in his final match, pushing his career average past 45.
When Cook retired after the 2018 India series, his average for that year was 18.62 from nine Tests. He retired relatively early, at 33.
Hashim Amla‘s form declined significantly in his last two years, with no centuries in his final 29 innings. His average, near 53 at the start of 2015, dropped by eight points.
In 2018 and 2019, Amla averaged 26.84 and 27, respectively. His last century outside South Africa was in 2014. From then, he averaged 24.35 in his final 19 overseas Tests.
Viv Richards had a phenomenal 1976 season, scoring 1,710 runs at an average of 90. His performance later waned, partly due to pterygium, which affected his eyesight and reflexes.
While he still had good years, his final seasons were less impressive, with no centuries in his last 21 Test innings. His average, 64 in 1976 and 63 again in 1981, settled at 50.23.
David Warner’s average was 51.34 at the start of 2016. He experienced a significant decline post-pandemic. From 2021 to 2023’s end, he averaged 30.87 in 48 innings, with only two centuries. Warner’s Test career concluded with an average below 45.
These batting greats demonstrate the difficulty of maintaining peak form and choosing the right time to retire.
