4 legends who played their first and last test at the same ground

It is a very emotional moment for cricket fans when legends of the game bow out. But, it is even more for the legends themselves when they play their farewell test on the same ground where they started their cricketing journey.

The teary eyes, those 15-16 years of their cricketing life flashing before their eyes and then realizing, 'You got one last chance to put the cherry on the cake. Don't miss it for old time's sake' is just overwhelming.

Not all legends get a grand farewell that they deserve. Sometimes, it is more about realizing that your time is up and hanging up the boots respectfully allowing the youngsters to take the mantle.

After all, as they say, ‘nothing lasts forever’. Those cricketers who play their last test at the venue they started their cricketing journey must be considering themselves very fortunate, for not everyone in the cricketing history has enjoyed this privilege.

In this article, we will take a look at four legends who made their debut and played their last test at the same ground.

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#4 Graeme Smith (Cape Town)

Smith was appointed as the captain of the Proteas when he was just 23

One of the biggest gambles of test captaincy taken by any team which paid off and reaped huge dividends, Graeme Smith led South Africa in 109 tests winning 53 of them, which is the most number of test matches won by a captain. With the bat, he scored 9265 runs at an average of 47.

Smith's career began on March 8, 2002 against the Aussies at Newlands, Cape Town. On his test debut, he scored three and 68 withstanding a lethal Aussie pace-attack. A big responsibility fell on his shoulder 15 months into his international career when he was made the test captain at a tender age of 23. Smith took captaincy like a fish to water and seldom let the Proteas down.

Being woefully out of form in his last series, he realised that his days were done.

Smith announced his retirement before the start of the play on Day 4 of his last test at Cape Town against Australia.

He could manage only 45 runs in his last series averaging just 7.5.

#3 Shane Warne (Sydney)

Shane Warne made his debut in 1992

It is no understatement to call Shane Warne the 'God of leg-spin'. A career that was marred by controversies also saw batsmen getting bamboozled 708 times in 145 tests by the magical leg-spin.

It all started for Warne at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground on January 2, 1992, against an opposition that tormented him his whole career i.e India. Like many other occasions, Warne had a forgettable outing against India returning with the figures of 1/150 from 45 overs.

The miraculous career ended at the same venue 15 years later against England in January 2007. Warne top-scored with the bat in his last test innings (71) and picked two wickets in his last test.

Be it 'the ball of the century' to Mike Gatting or the Andrew Strauss' dismissal at the Edgbaston in 2005, Warne has shown the ability to defy the laws of physics like no one else.

#2 Jacques Kallis (Durban)

Kallis is widely regarded as one of the best all-rounders in world cricket

Arguably regarded as the greatest cricketer of all time, Jacques Kallis' test career spanned between the Boxing Day test of 1995 to the Boxing Day test 2013.

His 18 years in test match cricket saw 166 tests, 13289 runs, 292 wickets and 45 hundreds which put him second on the list of top hundred-getters and third on the test run-scorers.

Kallis' debut came against England at the Kingsmead, Duban in December 1995. In a rain-hit affair, Kallis scored only one run and did not bowl in that test. His metamorphosis as an international cricketer started in 1999 and has not looked back since then.

His last appearance was against India at Durban in the 2013 Boxing Day test. Kallis retired on a high after scoring a scintillating 115 in his last test innings. He was a symbol of what a true all-rounder should be.

#1 Ricky Ponting (Perth)

Ponting lead Aussies to unprecedented success around the globe

Widely regarded as Australia's next best batsman after Sir Don Bradman, Ricky Ponting led the 'invincibles' of the noughties to success all across the globe in both tests and ODIs.

In 168 tests, Ponting finished as the second leading run-scorer in tests at 13378 runs at an average of 51.85 including 41 hundreds.

A young man from Tasmania sporting a french beard, burst on to the international arena in 1995 against Sri Lanka at now-defunct W.A.C.A ground, Perth scoring 96. After having three quite years in test cricket, his career took off in 1999-00.

On November 29, 2012, a day before the Australia vs South Africa test at Perth, Ponting announced his retirement from test cricket.

Even though he had a terrible last series with the bat scoring only 32 runs at an average of 6.4, his average in his last year in test cricket remained respectable at 42.

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Did we miss out on someone from our list? Sound off in the comments section below!