5 cricketers who made successful comebacks after battling cancer

4) Ashley Noffke

Ashley Noffke chats with Adam Gilchrist on his ODI debut against India in 2008

At face value, Ashley Noffke’s hip injury couldn’t have come at a worse time, dashing all hopes for a potential recall in Australia’s squad for the Ashes. But that may have just saved his life!

While undergoing treatment for an injured hip, playing for Worcestershire during England’s domestic county season in 2008-09, Noffke accidently discovered he had skin cancer. What looked like a harmless mole behind his right knee turned out to be Grade Three Melanoma, the most lethal form of skin cancer.

“The importance of cricket went out the window. The injury was a blessing in disguise.”

The Queensland all-rounder had immediate surgery and recovered after spending a considerable period on the sidelines. Although Noffke had a successful return for his Sheffield Shield side Western Australia, he wasn’t quite able to make a comeback into the Australian side, eventually retiring in 2010.