Cricket, a sport referring to speed and stamina, has produced many young talents over the years. With youngsters like 14-year-old V. Suryavanshi ramping up the world of cricket, we often tend to forget the legends who have made crowds roar even in their 40s.
Here are some of the cricket superstars who have played some of the best matches in their late 30s and 40s. We bet you will love reading. It will inspire you, especially if you are holding yourself back from taking that significant leap in life, thinking your age will be a hurdle.
S. Tendulkar
Tendulkar started his cricket journey at the young age of 11. He made his debut at the age of 16, playing a test match against Pakistan in 1989. It was just the start of a career spanning 24 years. Tendulkar made him one of the most celebrated legends in Indian cricket.
Tendulkar’s golden years were not just limited to his youth. He delivered some of his finest performances in his mid-to-late thirties. He scored an unbeaten 200 in an ODI against South Africa in 2010, when he was 36. He became the first Indian cricketer to hit a double century in this format.
Before his retirement, he scored test centuries against top sides. In 2011, he played a crucial role in helping the Indian team lift the cricket World Cup, ultimately fulfilling a two-decade-long dream of winning the trophy.
Tendulkar retired from all formats of cricket in November 2013, just a few weeks before his 41st birthday. He retired with 200 tests, 100 international centuries, and over 34000 runs across all formats.
MS Dhoni
Dhoni did not enter the cricket world through privilege. He came from Ranchi and made it to the big leagues—only on his merit. He is known for his unique wicket-keeping style and helicopter shots. Dhoni made his debut in 2004 and quickly gained recognition for his fearless batting.
Dhoni has become sharper with age, and his leadership has been praised internationally. He led India to three major Cricket league trophies—the 2007 T20 World Cup, 2011 ODI World Cup, and 2013 Champions Trophy. After stepping down from his captaincy, he continued to play in the Cricket League Franchise for the Chennai team.
Dhoni retired from Test Cricket in 2014 and from International Cricket in 2020 at the age of 39. By the time he retired, he had played 350 ODIs, 90 tests, and 98 T20 leagues. However, that was not the end. Even in his 40s, he continues to lead the Chennai team in the Indian League.
J. Anderson
Anderson made his debut in bowling in 2002. Bowlers often fade with time, but he is still playing with the same grit in his 40s as he did twenty years back.
Soon after his debut, Anderson came out as this promising swing bowler with a natural outswinger. And, two decades later, he has become the most successful fast bowler in Test History.
Most pace bowlers retire around 34-35, but Anderson, instead, hit his prime in his late 30s. At the age of 38, he became the first fast bowler to take 600 test wickets. He is 42 now and still plays Test Cricket for England. He has taken 700 test wickets, outlasting several generations of teammates, and is still a first-choice pick on overseas tours. When he retired from ODI in 2015, nobody could have imagined his test career would stretch this far.
C. Gayle
Gayle is a batter who is known to “own the moment.” A powerful player from the start, he made his international debut in 1999. Gayle played the traditional format for a long time before he exploded into T20. Fans found his batting style brutal and widely entertaining. In the late 30s, when most of the cricketers were retiring, Gayle scored massive centuries in the Indian league for his Bengaluru team. In 2013, he scored 173, the highest ever recorded in the Indian league.
He played for the West Indies till 2021, before retiring from the ODIs at the age of 39. However, he continued playing the T20 format till he was 42. Gayle was a blessing in the global T20 leagues, playing for Australia, India, Pakistan, and other teams. Gayle evolved in his later years like no one before.
Imran T.
Imran, the South-African leg spinner, made his international debut at the age of 32, an age when most cricketers start preparing for their retirement. For Imran, this was just the beginning.
Imran was born in Pakistan, performed through domestic circuits, and made his way into international cricket. His energy and enthusiasm made him one of the most reliable bowlers for South Africa.
In his late thirties, Imran was topping the wicket charts in international cricket tournaments. He became the oldest South African player to play in the World Cup at the age of 40. Even at this age, he was one of the fittest players on the field.
R. Dravid
Dravid wasn’t flashy and did not have the boldest shots. But what he had was technique, temperament, and time. He made his debut in 1996 and became the most dependable batsman in the Indian cricket team. He earned the nickname “the wall” for a reason. His rock-solid defense was undefeatable.
In 2011, when he was 38, Dravid scored three test centuries in a series where his teammates could not perform well. He retired from international cricket at the age of 39 in 2012. But before that, he bagged over 24000 international runs. His final years were the most productive as a test batter overseas.
He made a significant contribution to Team India even after his retirement. He became the mentor of India’s under-19 and A teams, and later became the head coach of the Indian Cricket team.
J. Goswami
Goswami made it in the cricket world during a time when cricket was less welcoming, especially for women. She made her debut in 2002 as a pace bowler and played for the Indian cricket team for two decades.
When she was in her mid-thirties, she outplayed bowlers much younger than her. In 2022, at the age of 39, Goswami played her final international match at Lord’s. She left the field as the highest wicket-taker in Women’s ODIs with 255 wickets.
Fast bowling, especially, gets tougher with age, but Goswami proved otherwise. Her performance in international cricket made her an irreplaceable asset for the cricket team.
M. Raj
Raj was not just a cricketer; she redefined women’s cricket in India. She made her debut at sixteen. When teenage girls celebrate their sweet sixteen birthday, Raj picked up the bat to create his-story, or her-story. She served India as a batter for over two decades and became the backbone of the women’s cricket team. She was the captain of the team and broke world records well into her thirties.
In 2021, when she was 38, Raj became the highest run scorer in women’s international cricket, surpassing C. Edwards. The same year. She led the Indian cricket team in an ODI series against England.
She retired from the T20 format in 2019. However, she continued playing ODIs and tests till 2022. Finally, she retired at the age of 39 with a whopping 10000+ international runs. Raj captained India in four World Cups, and she shaped an entire generation of Indian cricketers.
B. Hogg
Hogg unexpectedly made his comeback after his retirement, which is not at all common in the cricket world. He had initially retired from international cricket in 2008 at the age of 37. He was a left-arm bowler and dominated international cricket, including two World Cups in 2003 and 2007.
A few years after his retirement, Hogg returned most dramatically to the Bash league. His performances were so compelling that the Australian team recalled him for the T20 international in 2012. He was 40 at this time, making him one of the oldest players in Australian cricket.
He kept playing until 2017 and professionally retired at the age of 46! Insane, right? Age is just a number for him.
Conclusion: The Final Words Before The Wrap!
We often step back from achieving our dreams because we think age will be our barrier. Now that you see the list of these players, what do you think? Age is a big thing? So, stop making excuses and take that big leap towards your dreams.
