5 great players who retired at the right time

Retirement, for any sportsperson, is the most heartbreaking decision to make - detaching themselves from a game they love isn't an easy task. Several players in the past have been criticised for not timing their retirement well - for stretching their career too far in the hope of a record/milestone, even jeopardizing young careers in the process.

There are also a few players, who decided to hang up their boots at the right time, either retiring on a high, or ensuring that their poor run of form did not stretch for a long time and affect the team in any way.

Here are five players who announced their retirement at the right time:

Kumar Sangakkara

Kumar Sangakkara

The left-handed wicketkeeper-batsman, with close to 30,000 international runs, had decided to retire from all forms of the game after the 2015 World Cup, but was asked by the selectors to reconsider his decision. He finally retired after the West Indies and Sri Lanka series that followed, putting an end to a 15-year-career.

Sri Lanka's most successful Test batsman managed to extend his purple patch even during his last days as an international player, but did not stretch it to a point that he could have become a liability for the country, or an obstacle for any youngster who would have wanted to follow.

"I have had so much good fortune in my career, and I can't ask for everything. Sometimes you have to just do the best you can with what's there. If I don't get a chance to play my last Test in Kandy so be it. I will be disappointed, but that can't be helped," he had said.

He played his final Test in Colombo.

Shane Warne

Shane Warne

A leg-spinner par excellence, perhaps the greatest of all time, Shane Warne had a long history of problems to deal with (several off-field) during his playing days for Australia. However, it did not deter him from excelling on the field, his wily, loopy leg breaks bamboozling batsmen for years.

He was on song after his one year ban in 2003, and was bowling exceptionally well in 2006, 14 years after his first match. But, after reclaiming the urn that year, and at 37, Warne decided that his time was up.

The first cricketer to take 700 Test wickets, Warne decided to hang up his boots, giving youngsters a push as Australia aimed to change their Test setup after the end of its golden era.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Tests)

Dhoni retired midway through the 2014-15 Australia tour

His retirement came as a shock to many, but Dhoni decided to hang up his boots midway through the India-Australia series in 2014, just before the 2015 World Cup. While no one knows what exactly prompted the move, it suddenly pulled India out of its comfort zone and laid it bare, giving the enigmatic Virat Kohli the free hand to shape the future in his own way.

It proved to be a sensible move as Kohli shone, both as a captain and as a batsman. For Dhoni, it was a nice loss of extra burden, allowing him to concentrate on limited-overs. He ensured that he did not give the ODI and T20I captaincy right away, easing Kohli into the full-time role.

Rahul Dravid

Australia 2012 was Dravid's last tour for India

He always knew when and how to make the right move - it was a heart-shattering event for diehard Indian fans, but Dravid decided to retire in March 2012, 'sad, but proud'. He realised that his reflexes weren't as sharp as they used to be, and he was constantly getting out in a similar fashion, and retired, paving way for the next generation of Indian batsmen.

The Indian batting attack had started to age - in Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, the side had a number of 30+ batsmen. It was a bold move, one taken after a tough Australian tour. He could have played a few home series in India, but gave that cushion to youngsters to let them perform.

Alastair Cook

Alastair Cook

England's greatest Test batsman, Cook was a modern genius whose gritty knocks formed the cornerstone for his side's success over the past one decade. An astute captain as well, Cook became England's most-capped cricketer and the highest run-getter, over a career full of spectacular, marathon knocks that deflated the opposition.

After the dismal 2016 tour of India, after which he decided to let go of captaincy, Cook did not seem to be the same player, failing to adapt as he crossed the age of 32. He scored a scintillating double ton in the Ashes late last year, but decided it was time to move on, announcing that he will retire at the end of the 2018 India series.

He did not push long, making sure that he made way for youngsters and bid adieu at the right time, leaving a lasting legacy and gaping hole at the top of the order for England.