The year gone by: Cricketers who called time on their careers in 2019

#4. Hashim Amla

Hashim Amla

Hashim Amla can arguably be regarded as one of the finest batsmen to have donned the South African colours. Amla called time on his international career in August 2019 finishing with more than 100 Tests and ODIs for South Africa. In 124 Tests, Amla scored 9282 runs at an average of 46.64 with 28 centuries. In 181 ODIs for the Proteas, the right-hander amassed 8113 runs with 27 hundreds averaging close to 50.

In ODI cricket, Amla holds the world record for being the fastest batsman to reach 3000, 4000, 5000, 6000 and 7000 runs, bettering even the likes of Kohli and AB de Villiers. Amla, along with the likes of teammates De Villiers and Faf du Plessis, turned out to be a batting mainstay for the Proteas that saw one of the best phases in South African cricket after the retirement of stalwarts Jacques Kallis and Grame Smith.

#5. Dale Steyn

Dale Steyn

Dale Steyn called time on his international Test career in late 2019. Steyn played 93 Tests for South Africa picking up 439 wickets. The speedster was not only the most successful Test bowler for the Proteas, but was also considered to be the best of his time in world cricket. The fact that he spent the longest time at the top of ICC’s Test bowlers’ rankings is proof enough of the pacer’s supremacy in the whites.

Though the fans won’t be able to see the express pacer in Test cricket, everyone can take heart from the fact that he will continue to play both the white-ball formats of the game for South Africa.