Cricketer-turned-expert Aakash Chopra has opened up about why players are taking early retirements to focus on playing franchise T20 cricket instead. Heinrich Klassen shocked everyone by retiring at the age of 33. Just when the cricketing world was coming to grips with the retirement of the South African player, Nicholas Pooran, aged just 29, announced his retirement. Chopra said that the players have the right to secure their future.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra explained why international cricket is seeing a wave of retirements.
"Everyone is retiring. What exactly is happening? There is a huge list of players who have retired, and it seems like some of them have retired early. Who retires so early? Someone is leaving a format, and someone is leaving international cricket totally. Some are not taking central contracts. Kane Williamson is one of them," he said (0:30).
Aakash Chopra sees no harm in players taking early retirement, as they want to secure future
The former India opener further stated that the cricketers' view is to earn as enough money as possible and enjoy their life to the fullest post-retirement life.
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"Some people are asking whether it's a country vs club debate. The cricketers' point of view is very simple - 'I have a very limited time span, my shelf life is very short.' When you buy a biscuit or a milk packet, the best before is written on it. The 'best before' comes with every player," the cricketer-turned-commentator observed.
Also Read: Proteas Star Heinrich Klaasen Announces Retirement from International Cricket
"Then you realize that if you don't achieve your full potential in a particular time frame when the sun sets on your career, you will be alone with your family. So he is not okay with where he is right now, and if he becomes a T20 freelancer for the next four or five years and earns a lot of money by playing across the world, he can almost guarantee his happy retirement," he added.
Also Read:Â West Indies' T20I Run-Machine Nicholas Pooran Retires from International Cricket at 29
Chopra concluded by saying that Indian cricketers don't take early retirements because they are blessed monetarily, which other cricketers don't have.
