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From De Kock to Afridi: list of cricketers who made a comeback after taking retirement

Rajgeeta Yadav

Ben Stokes and Quinton de Kock [Source: AFP]Ben Stokes and Quinton de Kock [Source: AFP]

On September 22, South Africa star wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock shocked cricket fans by reversing his decision to retire from One-Day Internationals (ODIs). He has now been included in South Africa’s ODI squad for the upcoming series against Pakistan. 

In addition to this, de Kock has also returned to the T20I setup, earning spots for the T20I leg against Pakistan as well as the series against Namibia. For those who might not follow closely, de Kock last played an ODI during the 2023 World Cup semi-final against Australia in Kolkata. 

While his most recent T20I appearance came during South Africa’s heartbreaking loss to India in the 2024 T20 World Cup final in Barbados. At 32, he is now eager to prove his worth at the international level once again.

Quinton de Kock is far from being the first cricketer to make such a U-turn. Over the years, several prominent players have retired from international cricket only to come back later. Here

Kevin Pietersen

Kevin Pietersen is one such example. In 2012, Pietersen initially retired from limited-overs cricket but soon reversed his decision, returning to play ODIs and T20Is, including the 2012 World Twenty20. Later in 2017, there was speculation about another comeback, but he ultimately decided to focus on T20 leagues instead of international cricket.

Shahid Afridi

Similarly, Pakistan legend Shahid Afridi is well-known for repeatedly changing his mind about retirement. Afridi first announced his retirement from Test cricket in 2006 but returned just two weeks later. He retired from Tests again in 2010 after a loss to Australia and then from ODIs in 2011 following his removal as captain. 

However, within months, he came back to limited-overs cricket. Even after finally retiring from international cricket in 2017, Afridi returned in 2018 for a special match at Lord’s, marking his last appearance. 

Ben Stokes

England all-rounder Ben Stokes also surprised fans with a similar move. In 2022, he announced his retirement from ODIs, citing the challenges of balancing international cricket. 

However, he could not resist the lure of the World Cup and returned in 2023 to represent England in India. Later, he announced his retirement from the 50-over format. 

However, Stokes is still active in Test cricket, he was last seen in action during the India-England series in July 2025.

Moeen Ali

Another England star, Moeen Ali, has also taken several retirement U-turns in his career. He initially stepped away from Test cricket in 2021, feeling that he struggled to “get in the zone” and felt disconnected from red-ball cricket. 

However, after discussions with Ben Stokes, Brendon McCullum, and ECB officials, Moeen returned to play in the Ashes 2023. He confirmed his retirement again after the series and later, in 2024, announced his retirement from all international cricket. 

Additionally, he decided to retire from English domestic cricket in 2025 to explore coaching opportunities overseas.

Mohmmad Amir

Pakistan’s left-arm pacer Mohammad Amir has also had a stop-start international career. He first retired at the age of 28 in December 2020, citing mental pressure and issues with management. Amir had earlier faced a five-year ban in 2010 due to a spot-fixing scandal, after which he returned to international cricket in 2016. 

He came out of retirement once again to play in the 2024 T20 World Cup, taking 7 wickets in 4 innings. However, after playing the tournament, he announced retirement for the second time later that year in December 2024.