Mumbai: Taking a call on retirement has been one of the most painful decisions for any professional sportsmen, let alone cricketers. The sport plays such an imperative role in their lives that many of them cannot even fathom life without it.
But the day came. However, after retirement there have been cricketers who after pondering, decided to take up various other professions, some of them almost questioning their credibility.
Among some noteworthy transitions after retirement in cricket include English all-rounder Andrew Flintoff —from a cricketer to a pugilist post retirement. And there are some who have given up sports and chose to serve society. Like Indian medium pacer Joginder Sharma, who bowled the historic last over in the summit clash of the inaugural World T20 in 2007. The Rohtak-born donned khaki clothes to join the Haryana police after retirement.
Here’s a look at 5 players who chose unusual jobs after hanging up their boots:
Arshad Khan (cab driver)
Arshad Khan (Photo: AFP)
Pakistan cricketer Arshad Khan has represented his nation in 9 Tests with 32 scalps. The Peshawar-born off-break bowler has often had a fluctuating career. He earned his maiden call up during the West Indies tour in 1997-98 and the following year played for the team that won the Asian Test Championship in Dhaka against Sri-Lanka. He was dropped from the team in 2001 and returned to domestic cricket but made a comeback in 2005 in the ODI format. However, he was unable to take advantage of his return and could not seal his place in the playing XI. After announcing his retirement, he relocated to Australia and became a cab driver.
David Sheppard (Bishop in a church)
David Sheppard (Photo: Cricket International)
His name may almost seem similar to the great umpire David Shepherd, but this cricketer, who played for Sussex, took up an intriguing career after retirement —religion. Sheppard featured in 22 Tests for England registering three tons. He has an impeccable first-class career playing 230 matches and scoring as many as 45 centuries. However, after his career came to an end, Sheppard chose to lead the flock, not on the field but in church. He became an ordained minister and rose to become the Bishop of Liverpool. Sheppard died in 2005 after fighting a long battle with cancer.
Chris Old (fish and chip shop owner)
Chris Old (Photo: Screengrab)
Right-arm fast medium bowler Chris Old was a known figure in the English bowling attack during the early 1970s till the 80s. He made his debut against India in December 1972 and can boast of Sunil Gavaskar’s wicket as his first prized possession in Test cricket. During the match, Old added 6 wickets and contributed with the bat too, scoring 50 runs in both innings. However, England landed up on the losing side as India won by 28 runs. After retirement, Old was busy running a fish and chip shop restaurant with his wife Letita on Praa Sands, Cornwall. His most notable contribution to the English side was during the 1981 Ashes when he along with Ian Botham put up a 67-run partnership for the ninth wicket and took the crucial wicket of Alan Bordan, who scored a duck.
Chris Lewis (smuggler)
Chris Lewis (Photo: AFP)
All-rounder Chris Lewis was once termed as the next Ian Botham but his career did not take off. Lewis played 32 Tests for England and picked 93 wickets, which includes three 5-wicket hauls. His only century came against India in Chennai on his birthday in 1993. The innings caught his attention but he was unable to capitalise on the achievement and subsequently played his last Test on 26th August 1996 against Pakistan. Lewis gave the cricket fraternity a shocker when he was imprisoned for 13 years in 2009 after he was found guilty of smuggling liquid cocaine, worth more than £140,000 into Britain hidden in fruit juice tins hidden in his cricket bags. Now he gives advice to the younger generation on how to avoid the pitfalls of the game.
Curtley Ambrose (bass guitarist)
Curtly Ambrose (Photo: AFP)
Antigua-born West Indies fast bowler was a terrorising force in the 1990s along with teammate Courtney Walsh. With a weak batting line-up the Caribbean boys relied heavily on the Ambrose-Walsh duo and they didn’t disappoint. Ambrose has 225 ODI wickets in 176 matches for the Windies. After retiring in 2000, he joined the ‘Dread and The Baldhead’, an Antiguan reggae band as a bass guitar player.
