Retirements that left the Cricketing World in shock

#3 Brendon McCullum

McCullum scored the fastest hundred in his final Test

A modern-day custodian of playing within the 'spirit of the game', Brendon McCullum's announcement to retire at the age of 34 sent shockwaves around the cricketing world.

McCullum, who led his team all the way to the 2015 World Cup final, announced his retirement, after leading his team to a 2-0 Test series win over Sri Lanka, and that the succeeding two-Test runner against the visiting Aussies will be his final hurrah in International Cricket.

The first Kiwi batsman to breach 1000 runs in a calendar year (2014), and the joint record holder of most Test sixes alongside Gilchrist, to go along with 194 Test catches and 11 stumpings, McCullum signed off his International career, with a breathtaking 145 off just 79 balls in his final test against Australia, which Australia won by seven wickets.