Retirement is an emotional farewell for every athlete, the sport they have grown up playing which they eventually turned to their bread and butter is a dream come true, but all good things have to come to an end, but not for these people in the list who came back.
Kevin Pietersen – England
Kevin Pietersen did not have the best of retirements due to a fallout with the ECB thus making him leave all forms of international cricket. But the hunger did not die as he made a strong impression through the franchise leagues.
He came back to the international team for a short stint but the spotlight was still on him with his stylish batting style and raising the question if England let go of him too soon.
Shahid Afridi – Pakistan
The retirement king, Shahid Afridi has had his doubts about playing and not playing for Pakistan. He retired from tests in 2006, only to come back later, then announced his retirement in limited formats multiple times.
His final comeback came for Pakistan in the 2016 T20 World Cup, where he captained the side. Afridi’s constant returns shows the impact he created on Pakistan history and his own inability to resist representing his country.
Dwayne Bravo- West Indies
Dwayne Bravo or famously known as DJ Bravo retired initially in 2018 with disagreements with the West Indies Cricket Board. His love for T20s got him returning to the team in 2019 just in time to prepare for the T20 World Cup 2021
His comeback shows his skill, his cruel bowling style a nightmare for any batsmen back to West Indies.Even though he retired back,his impact for showing the world that he is still a legend did not go unnoticed.
Ben Stokes – England
An absolute shocker of a retirement when Ben Stokes announced his retirement from ODIs in 2022,with regards to workload management.But a year later he reversed his decision ahead of the 2023 World Cup in India.
His comeback made the difference including a century against New Zealand.Stokes reversal shows how he came back and still dominating in world cricket
Moeen Ali – England
Mooen Ali retired from Test cricket in 2021, but due to England facing a crisis they called him back for the Ashes. Despite being away from red-ball cricket he gladly accepted the challenge. He contributed both with the ball and bat making him the perfect call back for an all rounder. This shows how dedicated he is to perform for his country.
Mohammad Amir – Pakistan
Mohammad Amir’s career is not the smoothest of sails, from his match fixing ban in 2010 and his international retirement in 2020, aggravated by the management decision to retire. In 2024 however his mind changed. With the comeback he was fresher than ever. With his swing and pace attack he showed utmost fitness and prowess on the field.
Quinton de kock- South Africa
Quinton de Kock retired from ODIs after the 2023 World Cup, but in 2025 he reversed the decision and rejoined South Africa’s ODI and T20I squads. His comeback was welcomed as a massive boost for the Proteas.
Still only in his early 30s, de Kock’s return gives South Africa a proven opener with over 6,700 ODI runs. With the 2027 home World Cup on the horizon, his decision is not just about himself, but about helping the team chase glory.
Conclusion
Big names deciding to leave the sport is always heart wrenching for the fans, but when they come back it’s an even bigger joy. You know what they say “You don’t know what you have until you lose it”
Written by: Hubaish
