We'll be back after a break
South Africa's new allrounder Roelof van der Merwe didn't play high-level cricket for two years after the 2004 Under-19 World Cup. We look at eleven other players who took time off from the game
Siddarth Ravindran and Siddhartha Talya
16-Apr-2009
Brian Lara was weighed down by the pressures of leading a struggling team • AFP
Brian Lara
West Indies had been ruthlessly dominant in the eighties but the stark reversal in fortunes a decade later proved hard to stomach for Lara. Scarred mentally by a disastrous stint as West Indies captain, when his team suffered the humiliation of a 0-5 defeat in South Africa and an equally demoralising whitewash in New Zealand in 1999-2000, Lara offered his resignation from the post, and a week later declared his intention to take a "little sabbatical" by opting out of the tour of Zimbabwe. He returned for the tour of England in June 2000, was reappointed captain three years later, and went on to produce a victory in the Champions Trophy, a record run-chase against Australia, and an unbeaten 400, marking a more satisfactory second tenure.
West Indies had been ruthlessly dominant in the eighties but the stark reversal in fortunes a decade later proved hard to stomach for Lara. Scarred mentally by a disastrous stint as West Indies captain, when his team suffered the humiliation of a 0-5 defeat in South Africa and an equally demoralising whitewash in New Zealand in 1999-2000, Lara offered his resignation from the post, and a week later declared his intention to take a "little sabbatical" by opting out of the tour of Zimbabwe. He returned for the tour of England in June 2000, was reappointed captain three years later, and went on to produce a victory in the Champions Trophy, a record run-chase against Australia, and an unbeaten 400, marking a more satisfactory second tenure.
Shaun Tait
When recalled for the Perth Test against India last year as a part of a four-man pace attack, Tait would have been hoping to cement his place in the side, banking on the favourable conditions. However, he flopped, and after being left out of the final Test, in Adelaide, decided to quit cricket indefinitely. Lack of preparation, physical and emotional exhaustion, and frequent injury worries had combined to affect his performance. He overcame his troubles, and shone for Australia A on the tour of India eight months later, before earning a call-up to the national side for the ODI series against South Africa in January this year.
When recalled for the Perth Test against India last year as a part of a four-man pace attack, Tait would have been hoping to cement his place in the side, banking on the favourable conditions. However, he flopped, and after being left out of the final Test, in Adelaide, decided to quit cricket indefinitely. Lack of preparation, physical and emotional exhaustion, and frequent injury worries had combined to affect his performance. He overcame his troubles, and shone for Australia A on the tour of India eight months later, before earning a call-up to the national side for the ODI series against South Africa in January this year.
Graham Thorpe
Thorpe was England's best batsman in the 90s but his private life was marred by a bitter divorce and a subsequent struggle for the custody of his children. He went home midway through the tour of India in 2001 in the hope of saving his marriage, and then decided to retire from ODI cricket. Things came to a head in the first Test at Lord's in 2002, when a run of consistent performances was interrupted by an uncharacteristic failure. His mind was clearly off the field, and expectedly he announced it was time for a break. However, his return after a 14-month absence served as the inspiration for the title of his autobiography, Rising from the Ashes, as he began another productive phase, this time finishing on a high.
Thorpe was England's best batsman in the 90s but his private life was marred by a bitter divorce and a subsequent struggle for the custody of his children. He went home midway through the tour of India in 2001 in the hope of saving his marriage, and then decided to retire from ODI cricket. Things came to a head in the first Test at Lord's in 2002, when a run of consistent performances was interrupted by an uncharacteristic failure. His mind was clearly off the field, and expectedly he announced it was time for a break. However, his return after a 14-month absence served as the inspiration for the title of his autobiography, Rising from the Ashes, as he began another productive phase, this time finishing on a high.
Glenn McGrath
McGrath's seven-month absence from international cricket came under unfortunate circumstances. His wife, Jane, suffered a third bout of breast cancer after having undergone surgery for the ailment twice, in 1997 and 2003. McGrath chose not to tour South Africa in February 2006, to be with his wife, but made a return to the national side in September, and put up an impressive show in his first Test in 10 months in the Ashes later that year. He and Jane established the McGrath Foundation, which was geared in part towards increasing nursing care for breast-cancer sufferers and has been supported by Australian players in fund-raising initiatives.
McGrath's seven-month absence from international cricket came under unfortunate circumstances. His wife, Jane, suffered a third bout of breast cancer after having undergone surgery for the ailment twice, in 1997 and 2003. McGrath chose not to tour South Africa in February 2006, to be with his wife, but made a return to the national side in September, and put up an impressive show in his first Test in 10 months in the Ashes later that year. He and Jane established the McGrath Foundation, which was geared in part towards increasing nursing care for breast-cancer sufferers and has been supported by Australian players in fund-raising initiatives.
Carl Hooper
Hooper stunned the cricket world by walking away from the game midway through a home series against Australia in 1999. The reasons for his departure were unclear, but being overlooked for the captaincy in the absence of Brian Lara was rumoured to one of them. Hooper was struggling for form and fitness, and was not amused at being heckled by his home crowd in Guyana during the fifth ODI. The illness of his newborn son in Australia was also playing on his mind, and he called it quits after more barracking from spectators in the next game, in Barbados. His reappearance in international cricket was just as dramatic two years later - he slotted straight back as captain after a successful season with Guyana.
Hooper stunned the cricket world by walking away from the game midway through a home series against Australia in 1999. The reasons for his departure were unclear, but being overlooked for the captaincy in the absence of Brian Lara was rumoured to one of them. Hooper was struggling for form and fitness, and was not amused at being heckled by his home crowd in Guyana during the fifth ODI. The illness of his newborn son in Australia was also playing on his mind, and he called it quits after more barracking from spectators in the next game, in Barbados. His reappearance in international cricket was just as dramatic two years later - he slotted straight back as captain after a successful season with Guyana.
Geoffrey Boycott
A case where being bypassed for captaincy rankled. Boycott wasn't pleased when the yet-to-be-capped Tony Lewis was made captain for the visits of India and Pakistan in 1972-73, and pulled out of the tours for "personal and domestic reasons", but was back for England soon after. When he wasn't offered the crown for the 1974-75 Ashes, after Ray Illingworth stepped down - Mike Denness was favoured - Boycott declared himself unavailable for England selection, and it wasn't till 1977 that he returned, having missed out on 30 Tests.
A case where being bypassed for captaincy rankled. Boycott wasn't pleased when the yet-to-be-capped Tony Lewis was made captain for the visits of India and Pakistan in 1972-73, and pulled out of the tours for "personal and domestic reasons", but was back for England soon after. When he wasn't offered the crown for the 1974-75 Ashes, after Ray Illingworth stepped down - Mike Denness was favoured - Boycott declared himself unavailable for England selection, and it wasn't till 1977 that he returned, having missed out on 30 Tests.
Erapalli Prasanna
Prasanna made his debut as a 21-year-old against England in 1962, and was picked for the tour of the Caribbean that followed. His father, though, wanted him to concentrate on his studies and was apprehensive of letting him be part of the touring party. It was only after the intervention of the Maharaja of Mysore, Jayachamaraja Wodeyar, and on promising his father that he would complete his engineering on return, that Prasanna was allowed to head to the West Indies. After the tour, Prasanna focused on college and it was five years before he donned an India cap again.
Prasanna made his debut as a 21-year-old against England in 1962, and was picked for the tour of the Caribbean that followed. His father, though, wanted him to concentrate on his studies and was apprehensive of letting him be part of the touring party. It was only after the intervention of the Maharaja of Mysore, Jayachamaraja Wodeyar, and on promising his father that he would complete his engineering on return, that Prasanna was allowed to head to the West Indies. After the tour, Prasanna focused on college and it was five years before he donned an India cap again.
Trent Johnston
In 2007, Johnston led Ireland during their greatest phase in cricket, the triumphant, giant-killing run in the World Cup in the Caribbean. Less than a year later, he was seeking a break from the game. He cited the physical strain on his body and the "need to prioritise" given that he had a wife and two young children, and the demands of his job with an architectural hardware company. However, in four months' time, he was back in Ireland colours, helping them to the ICC Intercontinental Cup title.
In 2007, Johnston led Ireland during their greatest phase in cricket, the triumphant, giant-killing run in the World Cup in the Caribbean. Less than a year later, he was seeking a break from the game. He cited the physical strain on his body and the "need to prioritise" given that he had a wife and two young children, and the demands of his job with an architectural hardware company. However, in four months' time, he was back in Ireland colours, helping them to the ICC Intercontinental Cup title.
Graham Gooch
Another man who decided to put family before cricket. In 1986, Gooch was 33, had already missed three years of international action as a result of the ban for leading the rebel tour to South Africa in 1982, and was still some way from achieving cricketing greatness. That didn't prevent him from pulling out of the Ashes - long before paternity leave became fashionable among international cricketers - to be with his wife, Brenda, who was pregnant with twins. In 1993 he would again opt off a tour, this time to the West Indies, to spend time with his children.
Another man who decided to put family before cricket. In 1986, Gooch was 33, had already missed three years of international action as a result of the ban for leading the rebel tour to South Africa in 1982, and was still some way from achieving cricketing greatness. That didn't prevent him from pulling out of the Ashes - long before paternity leave became fashionable among international cricketers - to be with his wife, Brenda, who was pregnant with twins. In 1993 he would again opt off a tour, this time to the West Indies, to spend time with his children.
MS Dhoni
After 18 hectic months in which he rose to become the blue-eyed boy of Indian cricket, Dhoni decided to take some time off to recharge his batteries. He withdrew from the Tests against Sri Lanka in 2008, shortly after playing in the inaugural IPL, and two less-than-memorable ODI tournaments, the Kitply Cup and the Asia Cup. With the massive success of the first IPL, many were already worrying whether Tests could withstand the onslaught from Twenty20, and Dhoni's move sparked off a debate over whether players would start putting lucrative limited-overs events ahead of the game's traditional format.
After 18 hectic months in which he rose to become the blue-eyed boy of Indian cricket, Dhoni decided to take some time off to recharge his batteries. He withdrew from the Tests against Sri Lanka in 2008, shortly after playing in the inaugural IPL, and two less-than-memorable ODI tournaments, the Kitply Cup and the Asia Cup. With the massive success of the first IPL, many were already worrying whether Tests could withstand the onslaught from Twenty20, and Dhoni's move sparked off a debate over whether players would start putting lucrative limited-overs events ahead of the game's traditional format.
Martin Crowe
You don't have to be an international cricketer with a punishing schedule to need a break from the game. Just ask Crowe. More than a decade after his retirement in 1995, Crowe felt the need to take a sabbatical from the game. He talked about his decision in his 2006 Cowdrey lecture: "For a while, no more commentary, coaching, writing… I decided to stop waking up thinking and talking cricket and doing it most of the day… to push the pause button on an energy-sapping 25 years… it was time for a change and a chance to reinvent oneself." A few months later, though, he was back in the thick of it, joining the MCC world cricket committee.
You don't have to be an international cricketer with a punishing schedule to need a break from the game. Just ask Crowe. More than a decade after his retirement in 1995, Crowe felt the need to take a sabbatical from the game. He talked about his decision in his 2006 Cowdrey lecture: "For a while, no more commentary, coaching, writing… I decided to stop waking up thinking and talking cricket and doing it most of the day… to push the pause button on an energy-sapping 25 years… it was time for a change and a chance to reinvent oneself." A few months later, though, he was back in the thick of it, joining the MCC world cricket committee.
Siddarth Ravindran is a sub-editor at Cricinfo; Siddhartha Talya is an editorial assistant at Cricinfo