Afridi then, Tamim now, and many more... eleven cricketers who returned for an encore

Cricket has been the site of retirement reversals in 2023 - first when Moeen Ali returned for the Ashes and then when Tamim Iqbal cut his retirement short to a six-week break. That got us thinking: what if a cricket team was composed of players who hung their boots only to slip back into them later?

Bob Simpson

Sixty-two-Test-veteran Bob Simpson had been out of international cricket for a decade when Australia's reserves were stretched thin ahead of the 1977 India series, thanks to Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket. Simpson, then 41 years old, hauled himself out of retirement and went on to score 539 runs in ten hits.

Tamim Iqbal

The mood was sombre when Tamim Iqbal called time on his illustrious career in a tearful press conference, one day after Bangladesh had lost to Afghanistan and three months before the 2023 ODI World Cup, in India. But after an intervention by Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina, Tamim took a u-turn.

Javed Miandad

Upon finding himself dropped from the side in 1994, Pakistan's batting wizard decided to bid farewell to cricket. "No Miandad, No Cricket," wailed cricket fans as the country's Prime Minister at the time, Benazir Bhutto, coaxed the maestro to make himself available again. Miandad obliged, but it wasn't until 1996 that he next represented Pakistan.

Kevin Pietersen

Kevin Pietersen was an early proponent of globetrotting in franchise leagues. And when he decided to end his international limited-overs career with four months to go to the 2012 World T20, England cricket was jolted. But less than 60 days later he said that he would never say no to a comeback. Come back he did, to play eight more ODIs and a T20I for England.

Carl Hooper

Carl Hooper, one of the most gifted players of his generation, sprung a surprise by announcing his Test retirement at the tender age of 32. However, after West Indies' barren streak in 2001, the prodigal son returned to lead them in a home series against New Zealand, India, and South Africa, eventually retiring in 2003.

Bhanuka Rajapaksa

Familial obligations were the official reason given by Bhanuka Rajapaksa when he announced his retirement from internationals in early 2022. His 'hasty' decision was met with disapproval from Sri Lanka's Sports Minister, Namal Rajapaksa. Following a meeting between the two and a consultation with the national selectors, Rajapaksa expressed his wish to represent his country in the game he loves for the years to come.

Imran Khan

The legendary Imran Khan had decided to call it a day after Pakistan's defeat to Australia in the 1987 World Cup semi-final. Imran had a change of heart when he was asked to represent Pakistan again by President Zia-ul-Haq. Imran would retire five years later, as a World Cup winner.

Moeen Ali

Moeen had retired from Test cricket in 2021 but found himself answering an SOS call ahead of the 2023 Ashes when Jack Leach was ruled out. His second coming to Tests saw him breach 200 wickets in the format, two years after leaving the ring five short of the milestone.

Shahid Afridi

In 2006, 2010, 2011, 2014 and 2017 were the retirements, and in 2006, 2011 and 2016 came the comebacks. But behind the metronomic speed of his retirements sat one of the most influential cricketers of the modern era: there was little on the cricket field that Afridi couldn't do, and a place always seemed open for him.

Javagal Srinath

Javagal Srinath left the Caribbean in 2002 having made up his mind that he had played his last Test. However, Sourav Ganguly would have none of it. Ganguly convinced Srinath to come out of retirement and play three more Tests and lead the attack at the 2003 World Cup, where India were runners-up.

Jerome Taylor

Jerome Taylor's 46-Test career came to a halt when he decided to end his Test prospects to focus on the shorter formats - but things took an unexpected turn when he wasn't picked in any white-ball matches for the next 14 months. He promptly reversed his Test retirement but hasn't donned the whites since.