5 cricketers who retired in their early 30s

Andrew Flintoff

Man of the series in the 2005 Ashes

Flintoff made his international debut for England against South Africa in 1998, and he matured to become one of the finest all-rounders of all time. He was anointed the next Ian Botham by the English people, and for good reason.

Flintoff was always up for a contest and never hesitated to give 100 percent on the field. His fans loved him for this attitude. However, he was also notorious for his off-field controversies.

The 2005 Ashes win is something English fans will cherish forever. Flintoff’s contribution in that series was outstanding; he contributed both with the bat and ball. His Man-of-the-series performance was compared to Sir Ian Botham’s heroics in the 1981 Ashes.

Flintoff suffered a series of injuries right through his career. In 2009, he sustained a knee injury and couldn’t make a comeback to international cricket. Flintoff announced his retirement at the age of 33 from all forms of cricket in September 2010. Post-retirement he turned to professional boxing.

Flintoff’s name can be found at the Lord’s honors board both in batting and bowling. Very few all-rounders have achieved this distinction.